The Princess and the Brit
by Ellawritesficssometimes
Summary: Crazy things always seem to happen at Hetalia University. Romance develops, friendships are formed, and what's more, friendships are also destroyed. Now bring in a stubborn Briton, a more than eccentric French, a timid Canadian, and an egocentric German. Includes EngSey, Spamano, PruCan, AmeBel & GerIta. PAIRINGS EVERYWHERE;MULTIPLE POVs (Fem! Romano/ N. Italy/ Canada )
1. Love is a red-eyed boy?

_~How will a head strong girl who doesn't take no for an answer deal with a Briton who only seems to know the word no?_

 _~How will a quiet, timid Canadian overcome her shyness, and in the process fall in love with a brash, red-eyed German?_

 _~How will a fiery, stubborn Italian deal with the charming and ever smiling Spaniard?_

 _~How will a carefree, scatterbrained Italian come to adore the strong, organized German who keeps her in line?_

 _~How will a reserved, mistrusting Belarusian endure the woos of a boisterously loud American?_

* * *

 **HEY HEY! HELLO! Did I get your attention? Oh Good. So..basically, this is my first story, and the writing in it is not nearly up to par with my current writing standards. Bear with the writing during the first few chapters; I promise you that it does get better as the story progresses xD The writing in my more recent stories is totally different and I'd like to think better. Perhaps one day I'll rewrite this again, but right now I can't be bothered to. Anyways, enjoy~!**

* * *

 **Love is a red-eyed boy?**

Ugh, History class again. Yeah, yeah. I know that history is important and stuff, but when you have an uptight ass crack of a teacher, you'd understand my pain. Mr. Edelstein rambled on and on, not minding the lack of attention that his class was giving him. The man clearly enjoyed to hear himself talk.

"My young historians, I hope you pay heed (honestly who says this crap) to everything that I have taught you this semester. As we embark on our final journey…" And he lost me again. I looked to Bella, who was slumped over her desk, snoring.

I smirked and whipped out my phone. _Hey, snoring beauty, want to meet up after school today?_ Bella jolted up in her seat, her face flushed red, while I tried to stifle my laughter. The Belgian kept her phone in her bra and I always made it my mission to catch her off guard.

I didn't realize that Sadiq was watching this until he chuckled at Bella. "You know babe, a phone is isn't the only thing that could light up your chest, try me I could light up your entire world." Sadiq gave her one of his 'dazzling' smiles, and I resisted the urge to vomit. Just gross, of course Bella's pretty with her cute bobbed blond hair, and near perfect figure, but that doesn't excuse the fact that the creep was practically salivating all over her.

A dangerous glint appeared in Bella's green eyes. "How you would you like it if I light up your face dick wad?" she growled. Good girl, literally and figuratively, the girl acted like a Pitbull when she was mad. I turned and gave Bella my nod of approval. " _Tsk tsk Bella, vous savez qu'il est un petit garçon insécurite._ ''

Bella flashed me with an impish grin. You see, my Papa was originally born in France, and both of her parents were from Belgium, so speaking French was only natural for us.

Sadiq wiggled his eyebrows at me, ignoring my comment. "Come on pigtails you know that you want this." Damn that stupid nickname. I looked away to hide my disdain.

"Oh come on, your hair's adorable, no need to take it to heart sweetheart," Sadiq drawled, "What? Are my muscles too powerful for you?" Sadiq flexed his muscles and blew an air kiss towards Bella, who looked utterly repulsed by this action.

"What muscles?" Bella questioned. Catching on to her ruse, I looked to Bella with a wry smile. "Oh are you talking about those little bumps on his arms? I just thought that the wee little guy was cold," I cooed.

Sadiq's eyes darkened. "Watch your mouth bitch. Any girl would be lucky to have a stud like me."

"Forgive me. I'd love to have an egotistical maniac for a boyfriend," I snapped. Bella giggled and we high fived. Too bad we didn't realize that Mr. Edelstein was still immersed in his rant. A pair of angry violet eyes interrupted our moment of triumph.

"Seychelles, Bella, and Sadiq, would you like to enlighten us on what is so amusing?" I reluctantly looked up to meet my teacher's agitated face. Mr. Edelstein pushed his glasses up on his nose and began to tap his foot against the ground in an irritated manner. Bella gave me a pleading look and I sighed.

"Well, you see sir, Sadiq was confused about some material, and Bella and I were explaining it to him," I lied profusely. Did I ever mention how much I suck at lying? I mean Bella was no better. She's actually used the 'my dog ate my homework' excuse before.

"Oh, I see," Mr. Edelstein said with a clear look of disgust on his face. "Then why were you two high fiving then?" he asked. I could feel Sadiq's disgusting smirk from halfway across the room.

"W-we were just passionate about teaching, that's all." I gave Mr. Edelstein a pleading look. Unfortunately for me, puppy eyes didn't work on the stuffy Austrian.

"It's one thing to talk during my class, but to lie straight to my face? I won't tolerate it! Pack your things and leave."

Mr. Edelstein pointed to the door. "OUT."

I sighed. There was no point in arguing with this guy. I grabbed my books, refusing to look at Sadiq as I trudged over to the front door.

But alas, the bastard just had to have the last word.

"Ah sweet victory," the Turk mused to himself. "Oh, and Mr. Edelstein? Bella and pigtails were arguing over who was going to take me to prom."

"OH! GO FUCK YOURSELF," Bella and I said in unison. Mr. Edelstein looked like he was about to have a stroke, either that or he was really really angry. Yeah, I'm going to go with angry.

"BOTH of you, get out of my classroom," he hissed. Bella met me at the door, her green eyes widening with worry when she noticed the furious look on my face. The Belgian hands reached out to grab my elbow, but I was already on the move.

"Oh and Sadiq," I said sweetly. "Grow a pair," I flipped him the middle finger. At this time, Bella practically dragged me out the classroom before Mr. Edelstein could slam the door in our faces. Oh well. It was the last day of school anyways. It's not like I had to deal with these idiots for much longer. Just a few more days until I escaped from this hellhole.

Now that was something to look forward to.

Humming as we slowly made our way to the office, I skipped through the hallways, smiling as I said goodbye to all the things that I wouldn't miss. Bella, on the other hand, didn't reciprocate my pleasurable mood. "Cheya, just for once do you think that you could control your temper?" she lectured.

"Hey, you were the one who decided to join me remember? I wasn't the only one who told that bastard off," I scoffed.

Bella's mood lightened up at the thought. "Yeah, I guess you're right," she giggled. Bella was the model student, and I had a rebellious streak, so it was little unnatural for us to be friends. But hey, opposites attract right?

We continued to walk in silence and I was beginning to worry until Bella turned around to grab my shoulders. "You know, Cheya, I'm going to miss you," her voice trembled.

"Ahhh Bells we've been over this. When you leave, you can skype me at any time of the day! All I ask is that you allow for me to do the same in return." I struggled to put my arm around the Belgian's shoulders (She was a good 5 inches taller than my 5''2, sigh).

Bella was going to Belgium for the summer and planned to come back in the fall for school, whereas I was staying here for the summer, and planned to go out of town in the fall. As you can see, irony rules my life.

"Just promise me that we'll keep in touch ok?" she whispered. I nodded and gave her a quick hug.

"Oh! And one more thing."

I groaned. "Yes, Bella?"

"Don't you ever let go of that stubbornness of yours," the Belgian grinned as she pushed me forward with a playful shove.

I smiled. "But of course."

* * *

I strolled into the office and grinned when I saw that two of my other best friends were casually lounging around on the all too familiar leather sofas. Gilbert, the white haired and red eyed wonder boy, was currently snapchatting a picture of the office assistant's butt. No surprise there.

Antonio looked up, his green eyes sparkling with mischief as he shed Bella and I with a smirk. "Chicas, to what do we owe such a pleasure?"

"Oh come on," Gilbert drawled, his eyes still locked onto the office assistant's rear end. "They obviously did something very naughty."

"Gil, if you'd stop looking at asses all day, maybe I'd be able to tell you," I said a little too loudly. The office lady turned around and gave a little squeak when she realized what Gilbert was doing. Hiding her flushing face behind her long honey brown hair, the office assistant gathered her papers and quickly dashed off into another room.

"Thanks for ruining the view, Cheya, now what am I going to do?" Groaning, the German cursed to himself as he looked up to the ceiling dramatically. "It's shit on Gilbert day isn't it?" Before I could say anything, our principal stormed past the front desk, his face nearly purple with anger as he jabbed an accusing finger at a smug looking Gilbert. "Ms. Héderváry looks more than a little flustered Gilbert, care to explain?" he snarled.

"Why whatever are you talking about Mr. Vargas?" Mr. Vargas, on the other hand, was not having any of it today. He straightened the tie of his expensive Italian suit as if he were preparing battle. "Fine then, I guess I won't pass you in Roman history. You can consider that credit gone," Mr. Vargas threatened.

Gilbert stood up. "Fine, fine old man. I'm deleting it, see?" Mr. Vargas' face shone with pride. "Who's the boss?" he muttered to himself.

Antonio looked up from his phone. "I am," he proclaimed. Everyone in the room exchanged confused looks with one another, but no one dared to question the Spaniard on his comment. Perhaps that was for the best.

"Hey Romulus," I grinned. Papa was friends with Romulus and it was always fun to see him pull his hair out every time I got in trouble, which was a lot. Romulus ignored me and gave Bella an exasperated look.

"You too Bella?" Mr. Vargas whined. Shying under Romulus's disappointed gaze, Bella shuffled her feet nervously. "I'm very sorry—"

"Well you see, there was this asshat called Sadiq," I cut in, "And he decided to harass us, and then we kinda just ended up here," I said casually.

"You always just 'seem' to end up here. I don't know what's worse, the amount of calls that I have to make to your father, or the amount of times that I have kick him out of the school for flirting with anything that moves," Romulus complained.

"You're just jealous that that I'm a better flirt than you, _mon ami_ ," Papa strolled into the office. He was wearing a fancy white blouse and black dress pants. Ooops, looks like I pulled him from work.

Ms. Héderváry, upon realizing our little distraction, took this moment to sneak out of her office. " _Ah! Mademoiselle_ , may I help you with anything?" Papa completely forgot about me and practically hurdled himself over the front desk.

"That won't be necessary Francis," Romulus said curtly as he dragged Papa back by the collar.

" _Mon dieu_ , Romulus, I was just trying to have some fun," Papa pouted.

"I think you get enough action at work Francis," Romulus snapped while I winced. I definitely didn't need to hear that. Papa flipped his blond, shoulder length hair and leaned against the front desk. I pretended to ignore his glare. An awkward silence filled the office and I decided to admire the carpet.

" _Cherie_ , are you going to tell me what you did?" Papa brought his face close to mine, his blue eyes burning holes into the side of my face as he tapped his fingers against the desk impatiently.

 _Don't look. Don't look. He knows that you're a terrible liar._

 _Oh Merde_ , I looked.

"Well, if she's not going to say anything then I will. She was being disruptive in history class, told a boy to fuck off, and to top that all off she flipped him the middle finger," Romulus sighed as he raised a hand to massage his temples. Papa exhaled and gave me a small look of disappointment.

"To be fair, that guy really is an asshole though. He's always going after girls, and not in a classy way like yours truly. The guys a real sleaze ball if you ask me," Gilbert defended. I gave Gilbert my most genuine smile. Sure, the guy was a jerk, but at least he was loyal.

Romulus looked intrigued. "And just how would you know that Mr. Beilschmidt?"

"Oh, you know there's a thing called the internet. When you see two hot girls flipping off and swearing at a guy, it's hard not to share and rewatch the video," Gilbert said sarcastically, his lips curling into a smirk as he continued to pester Romulus with a smug glare.

"How many hits does it have," a pale faced Bella whispered. The Belgian looked horrified.

"I don't know, but I already blogged it, so we'll see." Bella leapt for Gilbert, but I caught her just in time. Gilbert shrunk back in his chair, a look of pure terror emanating on his face. For all the talk about how awesome he was, not even Gilbert could withstand Bella's death glare.

Papa turned back to look at Antonio. "Is this true?" For some reason, the only boys that Papa liked throughout my entire childhood was Gilbert and Antonio. Any other boy would feel the wrath of French snobbery and distasteful sighs.

"Yes, Mr. Bonnefoy, Even I don't like him… and I like everyone!" I smirked at Romulus, "See! The guy had it coming to him," I declared. My smile faded when I saw Papa's disapproving look.

"Did you really swear at that boy?" He interrogated. "Yes papa," I mumbled. "And did you really stick up the middle finger at him?" I nodded my head in silence.

Papa's lips curled into a grin. "Good girl. Come on kids we're going for ice-cream!" Papa put his arms around my shoulders and gestured for my friends to join.

"Hey, I still have to deal with those two and-."

"Romulus," Papa held up a hand to interrupt a distressed looking Romulus. "Remember when I agreed to write that recommendation letter for your granddaughters? Consider this as your favour to me… or should I go back on my word?"

My eyes glittered with amusement. "Oh-oh Rommy, better act fast," I teased. Before Papa became a real estate agent, he used to own a five star restaurant in France. A recommendation letter from Papa would surely get Romulus' granddaughters into the program that they wanted.

I battered my eyelashes at Romulus and pouted my lips into a frown. "Please Romulus?" The Italian man glared at me, his eyebrows furrowing into a scowl as he let out an offended scoff. "Please Mr. Vargas?" I corrected.

Romulus' angry expression softened. "I guess I have no choice. My _nipoti_ would strangle me if they didn't get accepted into their culinary program," he sighed.

I beamed. "I knew you'd come around, Gramps." I linked arms with Bella and Antonio, giggling as we proceeded to skip out of the office. Of course Gilbert didn't join. Something about him being too awesome to do 'girly shit' like that.

I ruffled my hand through Antonio's mop of curly brown hair. "Mr. Nazi over there doesn't know what he's missing."

"Mr. Nazi can hear you, _dummkopf_ ," the German snapped with a scowl.

"Listen here BEILSHIT, do you want me to tell Ludwig about your little office visit?" I threatened. Ludwig was Gilbert's stick in the mud younger brother, but the weight of my threat lay with the fact that his brother was also the student council president. Ludwig was a stickler when it came to rules and if he heard of this little escapade, he was sure to tell their Opa.

Accepting his defeat, Gilbert sighed. "Alright, you have me there." I smiled and linked my arm with his.

" _Gilberte,_ when a pretty girl asks to link arms with you, don't question it," Papa snickered.

" _Ja, Ja."_ The German rolled his eyes.

* * *

After our ice cream escapade, Papa dropped us off at Bella's house. All four of us sat in Bella's basement, lounging on her expensive leather sofas and chatting lazily as we enjoyed the freedom and bliss of a Friday night. Rows of expensive looking TV's lined the walls, and speakers lit up every corner of the massive room.

A giant bowl of Jalapeno Dorito's sat on the glass table in front of us, but Bella seemed to be the only one eating. She angrily munched on her food, spitting food everywhere as she immersed herself in one of her rants. "I. Just. Don't. Understand. Why. Muscth thesh happawn to meh."

"Slow down _Hase_ , your storing enough food for winter," Gilbert smirked. I'm just surprised that he stopped fiddling with the couches vibrate mode. Bella glared and him and swallowed dramatically.

"But it's not fair! All three you get to go to University together, and I'm stuck here studying at some bogus business school," Bella wailed. Bella's parents owned a Belgian chocolate company and they expected her take over the business in a few years' time, so alas, she would be stuck here while the rest of us went off else where.

Gilbert, Antonio, and I listened in silence, knowing better than to interrupt Bella when she was caught up in one of her rants. "And you know what makes it even worse? Even Antonio made it into the damned University!"

Antonio's head snapped up from his phone. "That's not very nice Bells," he chided. Bella ripped open another Doritos bag. "I know Tonio, but I thought that at least you would stay here with me!" The Belgian purposefully avoided bringing up the Spaniard's poor grades. "But I guess that I'll just wither away and die alone, while you guys live it up and have fun without me," she pouted.

"Bella, enough already. If you really don't like it at Trenton, then just transfer over for the winter semester," I suggested.

"Easy for you to say. My parents would never let me live on my own. You throw one party, and all of a sudden you're treated like a fucking five year old. They wouldn't have even known about it if you didn't scratch the damn wall," the Belgian glared, jabbing an accusatory finger at me as she downed a can of mountain dew with a sharp flick of her wrist.

"Oh, come on! I was the life of the party," I protested, smiling at the memory. When Bella threw a party at the end of grade eleven, I thought that it'd be a good idea to ride a laundry basket down the stairs. Turns out you can almost break your neck doing that.

"Chica, you almost died," Antonio laughed. "And who was the one that had to detach that basket from your bum? Not that I'm complaining or anything," Gilbert said with a provocative wink.

"Shut it demon eyes. I swear no one knows how to have fun anymore," I growled.

"Anywhoooo, who wants to prank call Mr. Edelstein?" the German clapped his hands together, grinning mischievously.

I resisted the urge to face palm. "Gil, where did you get his number?" I immediately regretted asking that question.

Electricity sparked in those red eyes of his. "I may or may not have looked in his desk," Gilbert shrugged. "Or scrolled through his phone." Gilbert shrugged his shoulders as if invading someone's privacy was a common occurrence for him.

"I think that it'd be fun!" Bella giggled. Gilbert pulled Bella into a playful headlock. "Did I ever say how much I love-," Gilbert doubled over when Bella kicked him in the groin.

"No need to be so violent," Gilbert wheezed. "Oh, and Cheya? You're up" the German smirked as he tossed his phone into my hands.

"Why me?" I whined. Gilbert cackled evilly. "Too late! I already dialed the number."

"Fuck no!" I threw the phone at Bella, who then proceeded to throw the phone at Gilbert. It was like playing some sick version of hot potato, and unfortunately for me, the phone just happened to land in my hand the moment that Mr. Edelstein decided to answer.

"Hello," a stiff voice spoke on the other end of the receiver. Oh great; Gilbert put the phone on speaker.

"Um hello, it's me Ms. Héderváry," I spoke in an awful impression of a Hungarian accent. I heard a sharp intake of breath, followed by a raspy sort of chuckle.

"I knew that you'd come around, my love," Mr. Edelstein purred out in gravelly tone (gag). Antonio pressed a pillow against Gilbert's face, trying to stifle his friend's booming laughter, but failing miserably as he himself was cracking up too.

Damn those idiots.

I turned to Bella. "What do I do?!" I whispered. The Belgian made shooing motions at me, her green eyes bright with amusement as she urged for me to continue.

 _One day. All I ask is for one day to be normal._

"You don't know how long I waited for this moment Elizabeta. I was genuinely disappointed when you turned down my offer the other day. I'm glad that you came to your senses my dear."

"Yes, I, uh… just wanted to say that I admired your performance at the closing ceremony. The way that your fingers caressed the piano, it was simply breathtaking," I murmured.

"I do love my piano, but there are other things that I would love to caress. Particularly you my love."

I laughed nervously. "Mr. Edelstein, let's keep it professional here shall we?" Crap. My voice just squeaked.

"Please, call me Rodereich." Poor Elizabeta. The woman got harassed left, right, and center. I guess that it was time for me to swoop in and save the day.

"Oh and Rodereich," I asked. "Yes, love?" I smiled, relishing in the moment before I decided to drop the weight of an atomic bomb onto my least favourite teacher. "If you ever go so far as to harass me at school again, I'll post the tape of this conversation all over the school's twitter base. Have I made myself clear?"

The Austrian man swallowed his remaining pride. "Yes ma'am."

"Good", I hung up the phone and collapsed onto the couch. "If you guys make me do that again I swear to God-"… and I was just tackled by a wave of teenagers.

"Get off me, you fatasses," I screamed but to no avail. "What? We're just congratulating you on your half awesomeness," Gilbert pouted.

"Can't. Breath. I. See. The Light. Jesus, is that you?" I stretched my arm, reaching for the ceiling as I panted for good dramatic measure. Laughing, my friends scrambled off me, their faces contorted into mock expressions of worry as they decided to play along with my joke.

"Oh no, better call Vash! I'm sure he'd like to know how the sexy French goddess fell for his sick 'guns'," Gilbert flexed his arms. I couldn't stop the heat from rising to my face. Vash was a senior that I had a crush on last year. With perfectly toned muscles, shoulder length blond hair, and piercing green eyes, Vash was my definition of a total hottie.

I exhaled sharply. "Gilbert dear, would you like me to leak that picture of you?" I threatened.

"What picture?" the German asked warily.

" _Amigo_ , I think she's talking about the time when Mr. Edelstein made you wear a toga," Antonio chuckled.

"Nah. I think it's the time that he got his ass stuck in the baby swing at the park," Bella proposed.

"Or the time when-."

Gilbert gave Bella and Antonio a sharp look. " _Ja, Ja_ , go on and make fun of me. Just remember that I recorded you two making out."

"IT WAS ONE TIME YOU FUCK WAD," Bella screamed.

Antonio laughed, nervously scratching his head. "To be fair we were both drunk. I'd have made out with anyone really," he protested. Bella, who obviously took that comment the wrong way, directed a headbutt towards the Spaniard's gut. Antonio gasped and doubled over.

I cleared my throat loudly, revelling in the chaos as I tried to balance it my favour. "Now, now children. I can assure you that those moments are well documented in my phone, but I think that you're forgetting about what happened last Christmas," I purred. I looked to Bella and Antonio, both of whom were sporting identical fiendish grins.

Gilbert paled. " _Mein Gott_. I thought we agreed that you would ERASE  that from your phone," he groaned.

"Hey, I held up my deal of the bargain! I erased it from my phone, but not before I uploaded it to my laptop," I shrugged. Last Christmas, Gil had gotten so drunk that he blacked out. Being the good friend I was, I placed him in the safety position; however, that didn't stop me from having my fun. With Antonio's help, I had been able to strip Gilbert of his clothes. Now add my fashion style and Bella's make up skills. The result: A dolled up inebriated German in a pink, frilly tutu.

Gilbert's laugh snapped me back to reality. " _Liebste,_ I think you forgot about the video that your father sent me. Would you like me to pull it out?" The German leered, chuckling to himself when he saw me cringe out of embarrassment. When I was ten, my father recorded a video of me dancing to the Macarena. Thanks a lot Papa. Fucking traitor.

"Looks like he's got you there _, chica_ ," Antonio chortled. But I wasn't done yet. "Remember the time-"

"Ok enough, let's relax and watch some movies shall we?" Bella shut off the lights to end our bickering.

Gilbert poked my cheek and when I didn't bite his finger, he took this invitation to wrap his arm around my shoulders. "Truce?" he whispered.

"We'll continue this battle later Beilschmidt," I muttered, grudgingly leaning into his chest.

The rest of the night was filled with a Disney movie marathon (cue male groaning), and two teenage girls screeching at the top of their lungs, off key in their singing, but still nonetheless enjoying the time that they all spent together.

What the friends didn't realize at the time, however, was just how fast their summer would fly by.

* * *

2 months later...

* * *

I rushed to the bathroom and brushed my teeth. Merde. My hair was a mess. "Braid day it is," I grumbled as I wove my hair into a single braid. I slipped on a fluffy pink robe and matching slippers and sprinted downstairs. I was starving and the heavenly aroma of strawberry crepes wasn't helping.

I entered the kitchen and smiled at the two goofballs sitting in front of me. Gilbert was talking to Antonio with grand hand gestures, and the Spaniard, with wide eyes, was soaking up every word that came out of the German's fat mouth. If I had to guess, the German was probably trying to convince the oblivious Spaniard into playing along with one of his schemes. _Don't fall for it_ , I wanted to scream.

The boys sat at my kitchen's island, hunched over as they clutched at their matching maroon sweaters for warmth. Gilbert tried to persuade me into buying one of our University's sweaters, but the idea of it made me feel cheap. I'm not some preppy, propaganda slut that loves her University. School is school; there's nothing fun about it.

I shivered and closed my robe. The end of August was nearing, but Papa wasn't about to give up his precious AC. Can't have frizzy hair in this humidity now can we?

"Come on dude, it's a fresh start. Sure it's going to be hard the first week or so, but I know that it'll be a blast," Gilbert declared.

"Gilbert, it's ten in the morning can you keep it down please?" I hissed. "Oh look, the vampire came out of her cave, better give it its morning fix of blood," Gilbert slammed a cup of coffee in front of me.

I gave him a dark look, but drank my coffee anyways. Antonio sighed. "I don't know. It's just, I've never been away from home for that long," he murmured.

"Aww, Tonio, you know that the University is only a three hour drive away," I reassured him. "Besides, I could always ask Papa to pick us up every now and then."

Antonio nearly blinded me when he flashed me with his pearly white smile. "Cheya you're the best," he proclaimed.

I gave a low bow as I poured myself a glass of milk. "We better get going though, I still have to finish packing." Of course I had to leave everything to the last minute. Our train for the University left at 7:30 tomorrow morning, and apparently watching Netflix all day was much more important than packing.

"Knowing you, we're going to need a separate compartment just for your suitcases," Gilbert muttered bitterly. I smiled at the German's comment. I mean, I was my Papa's daughter.

"Bonjour!" Papa strolled into the room, grinning as he flaunted around in his flimsy navy robe.

"Ah Papa! Close you're robe!" I protested. He was always so casual with company and he never failed to embarrass me. I heaved myself on top of the white booth chair next to Gilbert and with a groan I slumped my shoulders into a lazy slouch. I let my face rest against my elbows.

Papa clicked his tongue. "One more word and I'll change my mind about letting you leave," he teased. He bent over and pulled a stack of crepes from the oven. My mouth practically watered at the sight.

"Oh, did you want these?" Papa practically waved the food in front of my face. Bad idea. Teasing three hungry teenagers with food was like poking a wild animal with a stick. Before Papa could even move, three forks snatched their own respective crepe.

"Ah!" Papa acted like he just got shot. "After all I did for you for kids! Oh dark betrayal, what a life," Papa cried as he gripped onto the counter for support. Ignoring that comment, I went to the pantry to get some maple syrup. I sensed Papa behind me, but before I could react, he gave me a swift kick to the bum.

"Ack!" The maple syrup bottle slipped from my grasp. "Don't worry Cheya, I'll protect you!" Gilbert covered me while I dove in to grab the maple syrup. Gilbert and I pressed our backs against one another as we slowly made our way back to the table, our eyes never breaking eye contact with the scowling French man.

"Roger. Antonio. Mission accomplished," Gilbert spoke into a banana. Antonio rolled his eyes, but he was too fixated on his delicious crepe to truly care.

"No fair! She deserved it," Papa pouted as if he were a small child. I smiled and poured a large helping of maple syrup onto my plate. Papa took his seat at the island and pushed a small bowl of strawberries in front of me. Sigh. This 'Get Cheya to eat healthy thing' was getting old. It's not like I gained weight anyways.

" _Cherie,_ don't come crying to me when you can't fit into your designer skinny jeans," Papa lectured.

"More of me for you to love then," I joked as I slurped on a giant spoonful of maple syrup.

"She'd still be beautiful anyways," Gilbert laughed. I gave Gilbert a puzzled look. "Since when does the 'Great Gilbert' give out compliments?" I questioned. Gilbert nearly choked on his crepe. This tended to happen whenever someone challenged his fat ego.

The German's chest puffed up like a blowfish. "If I were you, I'd appreciate that comment. That ladies and gentlemen is a rare occurrence, and you should all count your blessings that you got to witness it," he declared.

"Or you're just too _awesome_ to admit that you're a softie at heart," Antonio countered. Gilbert shot Antonio a murderous glare. Antonio continued to attack his crepe, blissfully oblivious to his friend's anger as he chuckled to himself.

Papa got up from his chair. "Well, I have to get dressed for work. Tonight we can all go out for dinner and celebrate our last night together," Papa said with a sigh. I ran over and hugged the French man, giggling as I looked up to meet his forlorn blue eyes.

"Think of it this way, with me gone you're free to have all the ladies you want," I teased. Papa wrapped his arms around me in a tight embrace. "You're the most important girl in my life," he whispered in my ear. I tensed, blinking tears out of my eyes.

Damn. I missed that old fool already.

****** (Later that night)

I slouched in the back of Antonio's SUV (it was really his mom's but he referred to it as his baby), while the boys sang along to stupid songs on the radio. Papa got caught up at work and called to say that he wouldn't be able to make it to dinner tonight. Don't get me wrong though, I'm not mad. I know that he would be here if he could. Heck the man almost lost his job when he snuck out to see my dance recital when I was five.

I sighed and picked at my frilly, black romper.

" _Chica_ , you alright back there?" Antonio screamed over the music. "I'm fine," I yelled back. I turned away from the blinding light of the setting sun and pulled out a mirror to apply some mascara. Hey, it didn't hurt to look good.

Antonio whizzed around cars like no tomorrow, earning himself a handful of rude hand gestures and crude insults. "Antonio, can you slow down please? The café's not going anywhere," I pleaded. The Spaniard turned around to give me his famous puppy dog look.

"Aw, but Cheya, we have to get a good seat. You'd love-." Gilbert dove for the wheel, steering us away from the curb as he shouted out various profanities in German.

"You almost got us killed, you _dummkopf,"_ Gilbert shouted angrily.

"So where exactly are we going?" I asked warily. The Spaniard was full of surprises and most of the time they resulted in some form of disaster.

Gilbert glared. "If you hadn't already noticed, the moron has two functioning brain cells. It's best if we don't distract him," he huffed.

When Antonio stopped at a red light, he gave Gilbert a hard flick to the forehead. "Anyways," Antonio sang, ducking when Gilbert swung a punch at his jaw. "I'm taking you guys to _Café Nostalgia._ It's pretty hip. Tonight's slam poetry night."

"And what about the food?" Gilbert and I said in perfect harmony. Even though he was still grouching, I could tell that Gilbert was smirking. Food was always a priority.

"Um, I don't know. You can buy lattes from the Starbucks in there." Antonio clearly didn't think this through.

"Turn the fuck around, we're going somewhere else," Gilbert demanded.

"Gilbert, can you stop acting like a two year old and grow up already?" I seethed. "This is our last night in town. The least you can do is act your part." Gilbert's angry expression softened. "You're right, _Liebste._ But there better be some food that I can buy in there," he frowned.

"It's too late anyways. We're already here," Antonio gushed as he pulled the car into a dingy looking parking lot (Warning #1). Gilbert groaned while I slipped on my black converse.

The car door opened and Gilbert held out his hand for me. "My lady," he bowed courteously. I put my hand to my chest. "Why thank you, kind knight." Fun fact: Gilbert was obsessed with the Teutonic Knights when he was just a wee little shithead.

I hopped out of the car and glanced at my reflection. I really did look like a five year old with those pigtails. I pulled out the red ribbons from my hair and gave my head a good shake.

I noticed that both Antonio and Gilbert were giving me odd stares. "What?" I growled. Antonio cleared his throat. "You never wear your hair down, that's all," he smiled.

"Yeah… and it looks good," Gilbert practically choked out. Weird. Gilbert was acting really funny lately.

"I guess I just wanted to change things up," I shrugged and walked towards the café's spray painted sign (Warning #2). We followed the sidewalk which eventually led us to a descending staircase (Warning #3). Seriously it looked like something straight out of a horror movie, you know one of those places that leads you to the murderer's secret layer? Yeah, that's what this place looked like.

I raised by eyebrows at Antonio, but he gave me an encouraging smile. "I promise, it's much better on the inside," he beamed. Come to think of it, I did hear faded clapping coming from somewhere behind the door.

We walked down the stairs and opened the rusty door (Warning #4). A delicate looking boy with bright blue eyes and shaggy blond hair stood behind a wooden podium. Red curtains were closed behind him and you could hear muffled excited chatter in the background.

"H-Hello. T-table for three?" the boy stammered. Antonio flashed him with a hearty grin. "No need to be so formal _amigo_!" the Spaniard chided. "And yes please." I rolled my eyes as Antonio paid for our tickets. The boy stepped down from his stool and opened the curtains for us.

"Follow me please," the boy whispered. He led us into what appeared to be a mini theatre of sorts. A stage was set in the middle of the room and cloth covered tables littered the floor. Teenagers of all sorts were hanging out with their friends as they laughed, joked, and drank their overpriced lattes.

Antonio clapped his hands together. "We made it just in time, eh Ravis?" The Spaniard then clapped the poor boy on his back. Ravis gave a little squeak and responded with a weak smile. He led us to a table in the center of the room and pulled out a chair for me. "Thanks sweetheart!" I grinned.

"Cheya, he's our age you know," Antonio scolded.

My face paled and I looked to Ravis. "Sorry I didn't know!" I exclaimed. Ravis's cheeks turned pink. "N-not a problem. You're too pretty for me to be mad anyways," he said shyly. Before I could respond, Ravis scurried off, nearly tripping over his own feet as he made a break for the cafe's front room.

"Pipsqueaks' got game," Gilbert snorted. I ignored the German's comment, deciding to enjoy the calm atmosphere of the room instead. I closed my eyes and took in a whiff of the vanilla scented candle resting in the middle of the table. Besides the stages lighting, candles were the only things that lit up the room.

We sat in silence, absorbing and enjoying the casual atmosphere of the room. That is until Gilbert's stomach decided to let out an unruly growl. "Oh! What do you guys want to eat? I'll go get us something," I offered.

Gilbert shook his head and handed me his wallet. "I'll pay, just get me something awesome to eat.″

I turned to Antonio. "Anything's fine _Chica_. Especially when you're handing it to me," he purred. The table moved quite conspicuously and Antonio yelped, bending over to clutch his shin. Gilbert's angry expression faltered when he noticed my glare.

"Try not to kill each other when you gone," I hissed. I stood up and snatched Gilbert's leather wallet. Oh great, a picture of an eagle, probably something to remind himself of his small ass brain. I was about to leave when Antonio cleared his throat. "The other way Cheya," the Spaniard winced as he pointed towards a staircase in the left hand side of the room. Ok, I'll admit it. I can be pretty intimidating when I'm angry.

I turned around and left without saying a word. Weaving in and out of tables as quickly as possible, I stopped only when I heard a familiar slimy voice come from my right. "And I was like girls, girls, no need to fight over me. There's plenty of me to go around. You should have seen Bella, she practically begged me to go on a date with her last week," Sadiq gloated.

Fists clenched, I walked over to Sadiq's table. The Turk was surrounded by a flock of raccoon eyed girls, grinning to himself as he thrived off of the slutty attention that he was receiving.

I stomped up behind him and pulled down the hood to his green sweater. "Newsflash asshole. If you're going to lie, at least do your research. Bella's been in Belgium for the entire summer," I growled. An angry looking Turk turned around to face me.

"And just who the fuck are you?" he snarled. It took his thick head a moment to register 'just who I was.' A twisted smile crept onto the bastard's face. "Pig tails," he grinned. "Looking good! Ladies can you move over please?" When no one moved, Sadiq practically pushed a girl out of her chair.

A red haired girl with green eyes glared at me. She stumbled around in her five inch heels and wore jean shorts that barely covered her butt. Hovering over me, the girl pointed a clawed finger at my chest. "Back off bitch, he's mine."

I laughed and pretended to wipe a tear from my eye. "Honey, how much did he pay for you? It looks like you came from 'straight outta the trashcan," I mocked in a ghetto voice. Before the girl could give her retort, Sadiq decided to cut in.

"Aww pigtails wants a piece of me. C'mere." The Turk gestured for me to sit in his lap.

I picked up a glass of water from the table. "What I want is a piece of justice. If I ever hear you talking about Bella like that again, I WILL end you," I raised the glass over Sadiq. "Enjoy pisshead," I cried as I proceeded to pour water all over the man's, correction, boy's crotch.

"Oh no! It looks like this little guy had an accident!" I cried. Heads turned and people laughed as they watched Sadiq pat his down his crotch with an army of napkins.

It was only until that I was halfway up the staircase that the bastard decided to retaliate. "Thank GOD, I don't have to deal with a BITCH like that," I turned away.

 _Don't cry, he's just a little shit. Just go upstairs, get some food, and enjoy the rest of the night._

I came back to the table and was met two worried faces. Antonio looked like he was about to say something, but I shoved a chicken salad sandwich into his hands. "Here," I muttered as I tossed Gilbert his BLT. I rummaged through my bag and pulled out my spinach and cheese sandwich.

"Cheya, are you alright?" Gilbert asked softly. I looked away, knowing that I would cry if I talked about it. I went to grab my sandwich, but the German had already snatched it up from the table.

Gilbert teasingly waved the sandwich in front of my face. "You know you can tell us anything, _Liebste."_

"Fine," I grumbled, "Sadiq called me a bitch."

"I'll fucking kill him," Gilbert stood up, his chest shaking with rage as his eyes scanned the crowd for a certain Turk.

"It's not worth it," I pointed to the stage, "Besides it looks like the curtains are lifting." And indeed they were. Black curtains were drawn from the center of the stage, revealing an average heighted man with blond hair.

The man grabbed the mike. "Hellllllooo," he said in an accent that I couldn't quite place. "Welcome to Café Nostalgia's poetry night," he squealed.

"My name's Tino, and today I've got plenty of good acts lined up for ya! First up we have Heracles Karpusi performing ' _A Melody of Cats._ '"

The lights shut off for a brief second and some girl let out a frilly scream, or at least I think that it was a girl. The lights turned on again and a trembling Tino stood in the middle stage. "Calm down Finny, everything will be fine," he whispered to himself. When he realized that the lights had turned back on, the Finn let out a relieved sigh.

"Sorry about that! Technical difficulties. Anywhooo…. please give a round of applause for Mr. Karpusi." I started to clap loudly until I realized that I was supposed to snap. How Cliché.

A tall lanky boy with pale olive skin and shoulder length brown hair walked onto the stage. Blinking from the stage's bright light, the man ran a hand through his bed head, sighing deeply before he decided to grab the mike.

 _Who wouldn't want to be a cat? (Cue Dramatic sigh)_

 _They don't have to deal with debt._

 _They can eat what they want._

 _They can sleep when they want._

 _But do you know why I want to be a cat?_

 _I want to lay in the sun._

 _I want to be held close by cute girls._

 _Ahh cute girls, as they hold me tight. (Moans)_

 _I purr into their chests, and lick their face._

 _No one can judge you when you're a cat._

 _No one tells you to stop when you're a cat._

 _I want to have fun. But no one lets me._

 _If I was a cat_

 _I could sleep with pretty ladies all day._

 _And you know what's the best thing about being a cat?_

Being able to lick your-

"OK! Heracles everyone," Tino cut in at just the right moment. The entire room was swathed in silence, a mixture of both shock and bewilderment permeating the air. Wiping his forehead clear of sweat, Tino walked back onto the stage.

"Alright! So it seems that we had a last minute cancellation! Would anyone like to volunteer? Or should I voluntell someone?" Tino asked in an amused tone.

When no one answered, Tino jumped off the stage and walked into the crowd. Blinding stage lights shone on him as he stalked the room looking for his next prey, I mean performer. "Do we have any Casanova's in the room?" Tino teased. I groaned, knowing what was about to happen. Even though he was at the back end of the room, I heard the bastard get up.

"Over here! Over here," Sadiq bellowed. Gilbert and I shared a disgusted look.

"Fat chance douche nozzle. We want to enjoy the night. Not stab our eyes out," Gilbert shouted. Laughter echoed throughout the room, only to end when Tino cleared his throat.

"Who said that?" Tino smirked.

"Over here," Antonio called out, laughing his ass off. Gilbert's face paled as he shrunk down in his chair, trying to hide, unsuccessfully, from the stage lights that were now shining on our table.

"Fuck you, Spaniard," Gilbert cursed as Tino danced his way over to our table. I burst out laughing while Gilbert's eyes widened with fear. "Not so awesome now, huh Gil?" I mused.

"If I go down, I'm taking you with me," the German threatened, his red eyes gleaming. Oh _Merde._

An amused Tino pushed the microphone in front of Gilbert. "And your name would beeee?"

"Gilbert." The Finn's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Well, Gilbert, would you like to perform a song for us?"

"Sure," Gilbert gave me a mischievous look. "But let's make it a duet."

"Fine with me," Tino gushed. "And who will this lucky lady be?"

"She's sitting right across from me," Gilbert grinned.

I was now the one to have the microphone shoved in my face. "And who might you be sweetheart?"

I glared at Gilbert. "Call me Cheya," I grumbled.

"Alrighty folks, we've got ourselves an act!" Tino clapped his hands together. "What song will you guys be singing?" Tino whispered.

Antonio grabbed the mike. "How about _Love is an Open Door_?" I glared at Antonio. Gilbert, on the other hand, didn't seem to be too bothered by this.

"Perfect! Follow me lovebirds!" Tino gushed. Gilbert pulled my chair out for me, earning himself a few whistles and hollers of appreciation. Fuck, don't encourage him! Bowing to the crowd, Gilbert took my hand and kissed it. The little shit was enjoying this way too much.

"So much for 'slam poetry'," I hissed at Antonio, who shrugged in response.

"Come on now," Gilbert teased as he dragged me onto the stage. ( _Baise-moi)_

I stood awkwardly on the stage, looking into the crowd. My eyes met with Antonio's and he gave me an overexcited thumbs up. "Sure, sit at the table on your fat ass, while we go on the stage and embarrass ourselves," I grumbled to myself.

Gilbert patted me on the back and gave me a menacing smile. "Let the fun begin."

My horrified look only encouraged the demon boy. "Cue the music boys," Gilbert hollered.

 _Well here goes nothing. It was a nice life while it lasted._

Me: " _Ok, can I just, say something crazy_."

Gilbert: " _I love crazy_!" (Sure you do you fucking demon)

Me: " _All my life has been a series of doors in my face~_ ," I cupped my hands around Gilbert's face. " _and then suddenly I bump into you~._ "

Gilbert: *Strikes a heroic pose* "I was thinking the same thing! 'Cause like I've been searching my whole life to find my own place, and maybe it's the party talking or the chocolate fondue~," Gilbert twirled my hair.

Soon enough we had found ourselves lost in the song, prancing around the stage like a couple of buffoons as we belted out the lyrics with perfect harmony. I was beginning to enjoy myself, and as the song went on my confidence soared. My voice got louder, and Gilbert picked up on this.

Me: _"With you!"_

Gilbert: _"With you!"_ Gilbert lifted me high in the air.

Me: _"With y-you!"_

 _Gilbert: "With you!"_

 _Both: "Love is an open doooooor."_

We finished the song breathing heavily, our eyes locked onto one another as we immersed ourselves in the lovers' role. Gilbert's pale hair was disheveled and his eyes carried an emotion that I couldn't quite place. He grinned as we raised our hands to the audience and bowed.

Cheers erupted throughout the room and Gilbert was revelling in this attention. He pranced about the stage, an arrogant smirk plastered onto his face as he blew air kisses to random screaming girls in the audience. I started to walk down from the stage, but Tino, with a surprising amount of strength, hauled me back into the limelight.

"Fantastic! You guys were absolutely wonderful!" Tino gave me a hug. "Any last words"?

Gilbert eagerly grabbed the mike. "Shout out to Antonio for being a little bitch," he enthused. Said Spaniard looked like an angry bull ready to leap out from his seat.

"Oh hush now," I wheezed. "Now find me a chair before I collapse." Gilbert gave me a quirky smile. "Of course _Hase_ , anything for you."

* * *

 **Author's Note:** This story has **MULTIPLE POVs** **.** It is not just Seychelles lol. I know a lot of people don't like her for some reason or whatever, but that's why I chose her! (Trust me, she's hilarious in this fic) I wanted to give her a chance. Once you get past the sixth chapter, I've actually been using other POVs more than her, so if you came here for the other characters, then I recommend that you stick it through. Or don't. I can't tell you what to do. I ain't your mama.

 **Other characters who make a brief appearance in this story, other than the main cast include** Denmark, Fem! Poland, Lithuania, Russia, Ukraine, Japan, Greece (again), Estonia (mentioned), Fem! China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan (mentioned), Scottland/Wales/ Ireland (mentioned) Sweden, Norway, Fem! Iceland, and Wy.


	2. Sorella Down

**Sorella Down:**

" _Cherie_ , are you even listening to me?" Papa whined. I snapped out of my trance and sighed. We were on our way to the train station and 20 minutes gave Papa plenty of lecturing time.

I slumped in my seat, sighing with boredom as I lazily picked at my nails. "Oui, Papa," I mumbled grouchily. I was still in a bad mood from earlier this morning.

What a cringe worthy moment that was.

 _"Cherieeee," Papa sang from downstairs. "Venez ici, I have a nice present for you!" He didn't have to tell me twice. Papa was the master of gifts and he always seemed to know what I wanted._

 _I hopped out of bed, grinning as I hurdled down the stairs two at a time. "I'm here Papa," I declared as I walked into the kitchen._

 _"Turn around," Papa purred. I span around, my eyebrows raising in confusion as I stared at the devilish grin plastered on his face. "Here." Papa handed me a faded denim blanket._

 _"Papa, is that a blanket for me?" I asked cautiously. I got a sinking feeling in my stomach when I ran my hand across the rough material._

 _"Ohonhonhon. It's not a blanket cherie. They're a pair of overalls." Oh merde._

 _"That can't possibly fit me," I protested._

 _Papa's blue eyes gleamed with sadistic delight. "Try them on. They're the perfect size, non?," he gushed._

 _"What if I don't want too?" I countered._

 _A dark look crossed over Papa's face. "You will if you want a lift today," he threatened._

 _"Oh, and here," Papa tossed me an equally baggy black t-shirt. "You need something to wear underneath it after all!"_

 _I sighed dramatically. "Do you enjoy my suffering?"_

 _"Non, I just want to protect you. Consider this outfit to be my version of a natural condom!"_

I shuddered, trying to shake my head clear of that God awful memory. It wasn't working.

"Ah. You're still mad about that outfit _non_?" I let a grudging silence fill the car.

"Well, I think that you look tres belle." Oh please. The man dressed me in a freaking potato sac.

"Papa, you know that I'm not going to do anything stupid when I'm gone, right?"

"It's not you that I'm worried about. It's those damn _pevers_ ," Papa growled.

"You would know huh?" I teased. Papa's blue eyes flashed with annoyance.

"That's exactly what I'm saying. I know what they're like," Papa put one arm around my shoulders. "If anyone so much as touches you, I want you to call me alright?"

"Yes Papa."

"You will call me every night before you go to bed."

"Yes Papa."

"You will not have a boyfriend."

"Yes Papa." What I meant to say was "no promises Papa". Eh, I shrugged mentally. Whatever made the old fool happy.

"You will prioritize school first."

"Yes Papa."

"Papa is the most handsome man in the world."

"In hell Papa," I crossed my arms and let out a sarcastic snort.

"Good, just checking to see that you were listening. Oh, and just so you know _les filles_ couldn't keep their hands off of me when I was your age," Papa huffed.

"Consider it payback for this monstrosity of an outfit."

Papa rolled his eyes. "Ah, how I'm going to miss your sarcasm."

I fluttered my hands about, mocking Papa's infamous hand gestures as I put on my best French accent. "Honhonhon, look at me. I protect my daughter by desexualizing her in every possible aspect. _Mon dieu_! Her ankles are showing," I gasped dramatically.

Papa's laughter filled the car and I couldn't stop myself from laughing either. The man sounded like a wounded seal when he laughed.

"Careful now," Papa pulled out his phone. "I still have that picture of you in your braces phase."

"I thought we agreed that we would never speak of that again," I spat.

"Fine, fine. But just so you know," Papa looked outside the window. "I'm going to miss you terribly."

A lump formed in my throat. "Let's save our goodbyes for the train station, alright?" I proposed.

Papa sighed. "You're just like your mother. I can never tell what you're feeling."

"Is that a good or a bad thing?"

"When the time comes, you'll find out."

"Ok Monsieur Yoda. I'm taking a nap. Just wake me up when we get there."

* * *

"Is that your last suitcase?" Gilbert groaned as he heaved a very girly leopard suitcase onto the top shelf of the train compartment. And a very small train compartment at that, may I add. It contained two green leather booths that faced each other and a small, dirt smudged window. Two words, my friends: College Budget.

"No," I sang as I handed him an equally girly hot pink suitcase.

"Next time, we're taking the bus," I huffed.

"What? Does this," Gilbert pointed towards a suspicious stain on the grey carpet. "Not live up to the princess's standards?"

"Well, I'd rather not die of air pollution." That comment earned itself a good laugh from Papa, who had just come in with the final round of suitcases.

"I agree. Next time I'll just drive you guys." Papa walked into the compartment, grinning as he used his massive hand to ruffle my hair fondly.

"Come now, Mr. Bonnefoy!" Gilbert clasped his hands together. "Your daughter needs to experience the world a little. College life is all about the adventure."

"You call this an adventure?" I pulled open a drawer underneath one of the booths. A cloud of dust swept over the room, causing all of us to cough and splutter.

" _Mein Gott_ close the damned thing," Gilbert said as he warded off the dust with his hands. Didn't have to tell me twice.

"Well, I should get going now," Papa said sadly.

I spread out my arms to give the old fool a grand hug. "I'll call you when I get there."

"You better," Papa whispered in my ear.

"Oh, and Gilbert," Papa walked over to said German. "I'm assigning you full responsibility over her."

"What am I, a five year old?" I protested.

"Sure thing, old man," Gilbert teased.

"I'm serious now," Papa's blue eyes warned.

"Of course," Gilbert said with earnest.

"So the prick does have a heart," I mused.

"Hush now, _Cherie,"_ Papa chided, bending over to give a quick peck to my forehead. He and Gilbert shook hands and with one last wink of the eye, the French man left. Or so I had thought.

"Oh, and one more thing," Papa's muffled voice echoed from outside the compartment. "When are you guys going to start dating? I can practically smell the hormones and sexual tension between the two of you."

"PAPA! _Laisse-nous tranquille_!"

Gilbert cleared his throat awkwardly. "I wouldn't dream of it Mr. Bonnefoy." I heard a faint cackle in the distance, and after a moment's thought, I bit down on my tongue and decided to let the old fool have his glory.

With a grand sigh, I slumped down onto one of the booths. A pair of unwavering red eyes watched my every move, gleaming in smug amusement. The German let out a hearty chuckle.

"Now what?" I groaned.

"Ohhhhh nothing." I could tell that the bastard was trying to stifle a laugh. Then it dawned on me. He was looking at my outfit.

"Shit!" I rushed over to the nearest suitcase and started rummaging for clothes.

"Did he make you wear that?" I chose to ignore that comment. Clothes were thrown all over the compartment as I desperately searched for an outfit. Eventually, I settled on a black crop top and a pair of high-waisted burgundy shorts.

Gilbert twirled my snowman undies around his index finger. "Nice underwear _Fraulein,"_ he mocked.

"Give me that!" I snapped.

Gilbert paled. "You're not going to change in here, are you?"

"Can Gilly's Willy not handle a girl changing?" I challenged. Gilbert's posture stiffened, his face burning with embarrassment as he averted his gaze to the ground. Deep down under thousands of layers of egotism and pride, you'd learn that the German was actually quite shy when it came to girls.

"Aww look. Your face matches your eyes. Now turn around and cover your face," I ordered.

Gilbert glared. "Fine with me, Pippy long stocking," the German mocked as he reached to tug on one of my braids.

I slapped his hand away. "That means now demon douche."

" _Ja, Ja_ , just hurry up."

I slipped into my clothes quickly and took out my braids. "You can turn around now."

Gilbert's face slipped into a perverted grin. "I can see why your father made you wear that outfit."

I scoffed and pointed a finger at Gilbert. "You're the one to talk." Gilbert's outfit was a precise personification of his eccentric personality. I mean come on, the boy was wearing a pair of ripped denim jeans, a black gun's n Roses t-shirt, and a cross necklace. Douche alert anyone?

"Jealous of my awesome fashion style are we now?"

"Oops you caught me. Did Fuck Boy 21 have a sale?" I suddenly found myself upside down, struggling under the German's firm grasp as I dangled about like a rag doll.

"W-what are you doing?" I stammered.

"Kesesese, not so high and mighty now are we?"

"Damnit, can you put me down already?"

"What are the magic words?"

I grit my teeth. "Please?"

"Ooops! Sorry. Not quite the words that I was looking for."

A feeling of dread crossed over my body. There was no way that I'd ever say those words. I tried to wiggle my feet free from his grasp, but Gilbert was too strong. Damnit Ludwig. Stop encouraging him to work out.

"Face it sweetheart, you're not going anywhere," Gilbert drawled. That comment only made me squirm more. I managed to loosen his grip on one of my legs, cackling in triumph as I proceeded to sack him in the stomach with my knee.

With a groan, Gilbert tumbled into the booth with me clinging onto his chest for dear life.

"Ack," I groaned. I lay on top of Gilbert in a sprawled position. Even worse, my face was smushed up against the crook of his neck. Before we could move, Antonio walked into the train compartment, holding out his Mac Laptop in one hand, and his suitcase in the other.

" _Si_ , Bella, I'll get them to say hi to you," The Spaniard looked down in our direction. "But I think that they're a little busy getting acquainted with themselves right now." Antonio shifted his lap top so that Gilbert and I were in perfect view of the webcam. The Belgian now had a full view of our compromising position.

I faced an angry looking Bella, cowering under her furious gaze as I scrambled to get off of the disgruntled German. "It's not what it looks like I promise!" I winced.

"My ass! How do you explain that, huh? Making out with eagle boy? Come on Cheya, you can do a lot better," Bella's voice screeched from the laptop.

"Hey!" Gilbert protested.

"Wait your turn Frosty the German, I'll come back to you in a minute," Bella seethed, her messy bun bobbing up and down with anger. When Gilbert started to protest, the Belgian pointed a clawed finger at the camera, effectively silencing the German.

"Haha, it's because his hair's white," Antonio chortled.

"Thank you! At least someone appreciates my humour."

"Bella, hear me out," I held up my hands in surrender. "I FELL on top of Gilbert. Nothing's going on."

"Cheya's right. Besides _,_ if I was going to make out with her, it wouldn't be in this this craphole," Gilbert added. Very unhelpfully may I add.

"Are you implying that you're willing to violate her innocence anywhere else but here?" Bella's voice lowered into a dangerous tone.

"N-no?"

"Oh so now she's not hot enough for you?"

Gilbert ran his hand through his hair. " _Mein Gott_ Bella, what do you want?"

"What I want is for you to protect my best friend. And how are you supposed to do that if you're one of the pigs going after her?"

"That's not fair," I protested. "Gilbert's more like a dog. He's loyal, but desperate enough to stick with anyone."

"You do realize that you just insulted yourself," Gilbert laughed.

"Antonio, why don't you have a go at this idiot?" I suggested.

"Hmmm. I do have a screenshot from one of his old diary entries," the Spaniard smiled mischievously.

Gilbert facepalmed. "Does our entire friendship have to revolve around blackmail?"

"Yeah," Antonio, Bella, and I agreed unanimously.

"Ooooh let me see," I reached for Antonio's phone. Antonio gave me a sly grin and tossed the phone into my hand. I gave Gilbert a shark-like grin, who at the moment looked like he contemplated jumping out of the train, his red eyes pleading for me to have mercy. Oh Gilbert. You should know that I was never one to give mercy so easily.

"Shall I read it out loud?" I asked.

" _Oui_."

" _Si."_

" _Bumsen Sie mein Leben_."

Oh, this was going to be fun. I cleared my throat and stood up to give my performance an extra dramatic flare:

 _Dear diary, it's the awesome me again. (Like you didn't know)_

 _I met this girl. She had little piggy tails Kesesesese._

 _Fair warning, piggy tails doesn't like it when you touch her hair._

 _She's not like other girls. When I tell a girly that she's pretty_

 _Usually they run off to tell friends and all that other giggly goo._

 _But piggy tails kicked me in the balls._

 _It hurt and West laughed. Totally unawesome bruder._

 _I think that I'm going to try to be friends with piggy tails._

 _But it's not like I 'like like' her, nein._

 _I just want to grace piggy tails with my awesome presence._

 _All the others losers can suck it._

 _Awesome out ~_

I was just barely able to utter out the last sentence. I was too busy laughing my ass off. Gilbert couldn't have been more than six years old when he wrote that. Even so, it was nice to know that my friend still hadn't strayed from his 'awesome ways.' I looked over to Gilbert, who was blushing profusely.

"I guess I haven't changed that much, huh?" the German said weakly.

I put my hand on Gilbert's shoulder. "Nope! But that doesn't stop us from gracing you with our awesome presence…. Or all that other giggly goo."

"One more word Bonnefoy and I swear to—"

"Oh, you love me and you know it," I grinned.

Gilbert gave me a crushing hug. " _Ja_ , I do."

"Are you going to let me breath?"

" _Nein."_

"I figured as much."

* * *

Gilbert nudged my shoulder. With a start, I woke up from my nap. "Cheya, we're here."

"Give me a minute," I groaned.

"If she doesn't get out the cab, I'm going to start charging you kids by the minute," the cab driver threatened.

"Oh! Sorry, Sir. We'll get out of your hair," I apologized. Gilbert handed the driver some money while Antonio helped me get our suitcases out from the trunk of the car. But that wasn't the first thing that was on my mind right now. A looming castle-like tower stood in front of us and I gawked at its elegance. A massive iron gate stood in front of the building and a fountain stood in the middle of the court yard. I mean I knew that this University was fancy, but this was just ridiculous. I guess I shouldn't be so surprised though. Students from all over the world came here to study. I should count my blessings that I got in.

The clock struck Noon and the boom of bells echoed across the court yard. A handful of students sat sprawled across the lawns, enjoying the last bits of their summer as they basked in the warmth of the afternoon sun. Today was move in day for those who were living in residency, so us students had a week to kill before the semester started.

Antonio pulled out a map. After a moment of gaining his bearings, the Spaniard pointed towards the castle-like building in front of us. "Ok so this area is called Tabaret Hall. Gil and I need to find Sparta."

"Huh?" I asked smartly.

Gilbert grabbed one of my suitcases. "Most of the buildings in the school are named after historical events or people. Maybe you should read your student handbook," Gilbert muttered sarcastically.

I slapped a hand over Gilbert's fuming mouth. "Shut it giggly goo. Antonio can you tell me where the Gaul building is?"

"I can take you there if you want," a booming voice echoed from behind me. A tall, muscular boy with blond hair and glasses bounded towards us. He was wearing a maroon football jersey and baggy jeans. I glanced at his face and blushed. The boy reminded me of a puppy. He was just that happy.

The boy's loud voice snapped me back into reality. "Name's Alfred Jones nice to meet ya." Gilbert glared at Alfred and an awkward tension fell between the four of us.

Gilbert stood in front of me, purposefully blocking my view of Alfred's yummy, I mean perfect, I mean hot body (Baise-moi) I can't even think straight. "That won't be necessary. I'm pretty sure we've got things under control."

Alfred brushed off Gilbert's rude tone. "Well how is this little lady going to carry three suitcases on her own?" He reached out to shake my hand.

"Hi, I'm Cheya. Nice to meet you," I shook hands with Alfred. His hands were rough with callouses and they were so large that they practically swallowed my own.

Antonio cleared his throat. "Call me Antonio."

Alfred beamed. "Nice to meet you Cheya, Antonio, and uh…" the American gave Gilbert a sheepish look.

Gilbert looked like he was ready to spit out acid. "Gilbert."

Alfred seemed to pick up on Gilbert's foul mood. "Erm... anyways, I have practice near Gaul, so I wouldn't mind taking her," he offered.

Before Gilbert could say anything, I cut in. "Sure Alfred that sounds wonderful."

"Sweet," Alfred grabbed my pink and leopard printed suitcases with ease. I gave Gilbert one last dirty look before I grabbed my remaining teal case from the sidewalk.

"Follow me my lady," Alfred gave me a dorky bow.

"Such a gentleman," I teased, speaking loudly in the hopes that Gilbert would hear.

"Toni, text me when you guys settle in alright? We can meet up later," I shouted over my shoulder.

"We'll come to you," Antonio shouted back.

"Sounds good!"

I had to bring myself to a light jog in order to keep up with Alfred's long strides. With each step he took, the cowlick at the top of his head bounced. I giggled, the boy really did remind me of an overexcited puppy.

"What's so funny?" Alfred came to a stop. He bent over and placed his face inches from mine, his cerulean blue eyes wide with curiosity. A sly smirk formed on the American's lips when he realized that I was blushing.

Face burning, I averted my gaze to the ground. "N-nothing."

Alfred straightened his posture and gave me a playful shove to the back. "If you say so."

* * *

 **Gilbert's POV:**

Gilbert tried his best not to punch that Alfred guy in the face. Who did he think he was swooping in and taking Cheya like that? What nerve. Fuck him. And why was Cheya staring at his muscles? He had muscles too. What was he to her? Chopped liver? Ok that wasn't fair. Gilbert knew that Cheya cared about him a lot. It's just, he wanted her to be his.

Gilbert groaned. No matter how much he tried, he couldn't supress his feelings. He didn't know when he started to like Cheya, but all he knew was that he liked her….badly. If anyone deserved her, it would be him. They grew up together, played together, and practically lived at each other's houses. He remembered how those cute little pig tails would shake whenever she got angry. Her big, adorable amber eyes. Those little dimples whenever she smiled. The way that her eyes lit up when she laughed. The way that she would lean into him whenever they watched corny Disney movies.

Damnit, why couldn't he think straight? Gilbert clenched his fists and spat on the ground. _I'm such a failure_. _Francis told me to protect her, and the minute that she gets here, I let her run off with some boy._ He didn't want to admit it, but Gilbert was jealous. Sure, he'd get angry whenever Sadiq would have a go at her, but this time it was different. It looked like Cheya actually enjoyed being with Alfred. She wouldn't go off with someone that she didn't like, and the thought of this bothered Gilbert to no end.

"Eh, Gilbert? We should get going now." Oh yeah, Antonio was still waiting for him.

Gilbert grit his teeth together. " _Ja,_ the sooner that we get unpacked, the better." As if his body was on autopilot, Gilbert picked up his suitcase and began to walk off in a stiff, brisk pace.

The German walked through the campus in a muted silence, completely ignoring the girls that waved at him and his always ecstatic Spanish friend. "It seems like you're pretty popular with the girls, eh _amigo_?" Antonio remarked.

"The only one who I want to be popular with doesn't even notice me," Gilbert muttered bitterly.

 _"Si,_ I know."

* * *

I struggled to keep up with Alfred, discreetly inhaling through my nose as I tried to keep my lack of fitness under wraps. Geez, did all football players have this type of stamina? We must have walked for twenty minutes already and the boy didn't show any sign of wariness.

"This school really likes it's gardening huh?" I remarked as I pointed towards the delicate shrubbery and flower gardens that lay on both sides of the path that we were currently walking along.

"Well, when you go to a prestigious school like this, you have to make good first impressions," Alfred let out a bark-like laugh. As we continued to walk through the campus, Alfred took this time to give me a personal tour of the University. He had already shown me the best places to study, eat, and party. Not that I was going to be doing much of the latter option. Papa made it clear to me that I was here to learn.

"So what program are you in Alfred?"

"Umm, I'm majoring in Political Science. I'm technically in my second year, but due to my crappy grades, I'll mostly be taking first year classes," Alfred scowled and looked at the ground. "It's not like Artie could have just passed me or anything," he muttered.

"Huh?"

"Oh nothing. Just me being my usual stupid self." I decided to move on from the subject.

"Well that's interesting! I'm double majoring in Criminology and Political Science too," I gushed.

Alfred's eyes lit up. "Really that's so cool! Are you taking Cold War Politics this semester?"

"Sorry, I wouldn't know. I haven't gotten my schedule yet."

"Right, right. Well here we are!" We stopped in front of tall, red brick building. Small windows littered its surface and you could already see beer cans lining their ridges. On the top of the building lay the suite portion, their large windows and fancy balconies practically screaming privilege. Oh wait. I was staying in one of those suites. ( _Merci_ Papa)

I gave Alfred a hug. "Well thank you very much Alfred. Hopefully we can see each other again?"

Alfred patted me on the back. "No problem kiddo, but I'm coming in with you. I'm visiting a friend."

"Sounds good to me!" I chirped.

We walked into the lobby and hopped into the elevator. I pulled out my residence information pamphlet. "It says that the student lounge is on floor five."

"Don't worry Cheya, I've been here a million times." Alfred gave me a wide, confident grin.

"Who are you visiting?"

"Well, later I'm going to help my little sister settle into her apartment. She's your age and I'm pretty sure that she's in the Criminology program too. But I also came here to visit this girl that I like. Her name's Natalia." Ah, so that's why Alfred was so eager to take me here.

That name sounded familiar though. Oh that's right, Natalia was the reason why I was going to the fifth floor in the first place. "Well, that's the girl I need to see as well. She's in charge of the floor I'm staying in." The elevator door opened, revealing a grand, yet seemingly cozy lounge.

Fancy lazy boy couches lay in front of an array of flat screen televisions. On the other side of the room lay a row of fridges and pantries, trays of freshly-baked cupcakes lining the counters. If that wasn't enough, a row of pool tables lay in the middle of the room, giving the room a sense of homeliness and ease. Well, somewhat at ease. A slender girl with white blond hair was playing darts, her pale eyebrows furrowing with concentration as she snapped them away with the same prowess as a hunter. I unconsciously took a step back, already growing to fear her.

"Hey Nat!" _PLUNK._ A dart embedded itself in the wall, hovering a mere inch above the tips of Alfred's ear. I took another few steps away from Alfred. Knowing from the way that those fierce lilac eyes glared at him, the farther away that I was from Alfred, the better.

The girl was dressed in sleek black skinny jeans and a white crop-top. If being a professional dart thrower didn't work out, she could easily make a living out of modeling. An angry looking Natalia clacked over to us in her black six inch heels.

"Alfred, how many times do I have to tell you? Leave me the fuck alone," She growled.

"Awww Nat, you're so mean." Alfred reached down to tug on the white bow that was fixed into her hair. Natalia's lilac eyes flashed dangerously.

"Just say yes to a date and— " With a loud thump, Alfred was mercilessly pinned to the ground. The American dropped faster than an anchor, and a heavy one at that. I blinked in confusion, only to gasp out with shock when I realized what had just happened. The Belarusian now sat on top of the squirming American, smiling as she dug her elbows into his back. If you could even consider that to be a smile. To me it looked more like a wolfish grin. I shuddered, praying that I would never have to face the angry wrath of this woman.

Alfred tried move his head, but a clawed hand smashed it further into the plush carpet. "U-um I think that you're suffocating him," I stammered. Muffled sounds of protest from Alfred confirmed my belief.

"Hush now little Alfred." Natalia pulled out a nail file from her pocket and with an indifferent shrug, she began to buff away at her nails.

Natalia gave me a startling look. "Oh! How impolite of me! Hello, my names Natalia Braginski. It's nice to meet you," The Belarusian gave me a warm smile as she held out her hand.

I reluctantly shook hands with her. I had half the mind to suspect that she would pin me to the ground as well. "Seychelles Bonnefoy. I-It's a pleasure as well." Sorry Alfred, it doesn't look like Natalia's moving any time soon.

"Oh yes, you're on floor eight. Can you wait by the elevator for a moment? I have some unfinished business to deal with." Alfred's screams became increasingly louder. I nodded and practically ran over to the elevator.

Natalia stood up, roughly dragging Alfred along by the cuff of his jersey. "DON'T," she kneed him in the gut. "COME HERE ANYMORE," she screamed. Alfred crumpled to the floor, but that didn't seem to stop the huge grin from forming on the American's face.

"You know I like them wild," he purred only to gasp out in pain when Natalia kicked him in the groin.

"Oh Baby," Alfred wheezed. I grimaced and turned away. The boy just didn't know when to give up.

"YOU WON'T BE HAVING ANY BABIES SOON IF YOU DON'T LEAVE. THAT MEANS NOW MORON," Natalia roared.

Clutching his groin with one hand, Alfred stood up, raising his free hand in a mock surrender. "You win this battle Braginski. But mark my words the hero will always triumph over the villain." With one last wink directed at Natalia, Alfred turned around, whistling as he jabbed the elevator button repeatedly.

"Hey Alfred?" Natalia asked in a suspiciously sweet voice.

"Yes, Honey buns?"

"I suggest that you use the stairs before I throw you out the window."

The American gulped. "Yes ma'am."

* * *

I stood awkwardly in the elevator, silently counting each agonizing second that ticked by. Every evolutionary instinct in my body screamed for me to run away from this woman. But alas, I was stuck in place. Gripping my arm tightly, a stone-faced Natalia drawled on, her lilac eyes piercing through my soul as she lectured me about dorm protocols.

"Absolutely no boys in your room after ten. Oh. And don't even think about sneaking out, or you WILL become my next dart board."

I was too scared to speak, so I just gave the occasional _hmms_ and _aha's_ whenever needed. The way that the Belarusian's eyes lit up with pleasure whenever she hit Alfred made her look like some crazed serial killer. I shook my head of the mental image that consisted of Natalia chasing me around campus, throwing darts at me and cackling manically as she thrived off my fear in some sick cat and mouse chase.

Natalia gave me a tight bear hug. "You know, you really are a cute girl. It'd be a shame if some pig made you his own."

"Huh?" I said brilliantly.

"Not the brightest tool in the shed are we?" When I didn't say anything, Natalia went back to fixing her hair in the elevators mirror.

"I swear if he touches that bow one more time," the Belarusian grumbled to herself with a scowl. The girl was probably thinking of all the different torture techniques that she could use on poor Alfred.

With a cliché ding of the elevator, we entered a posh looking hallway. Potted plants were lined up at every door and expensive looking paintings lined the walls.

"Coming through!" a girl with shoulder length blond hair and wide green eyes merrily skipped in the hall way, giggling as she brushed past us. My eyes widened when I noticed that Natalia had been shoved to the side. It was an honest mistake on the girls part, really. A fatal mistake, but that's not the point.

"Felicia! Slow down would you?" A fragile looking boy with medium length brown hair and blue-green eyes ran after his girlfriend (?). The boy carried a stack of boxes, clearly struggling as his knee's buckled under the weight of his cargo. Beads of sweat dripped off of the boy's delicate facial features.

Felicia ran over to her boyfriend (?), grinning impishly as she planted a kiss onto his already reddening cheeks. "Toris, could you like, man up for me please?" Felicia battered her freakishly long lashes. Toris cleared his throat uncomfortably when he realized that Natalia was glaring daggers at them.

Fuming, Natalia stormed over to Felicia. What is this?" Natalia pointed a clawed finger towards Felicia's too short to be true pink mini-skirt.

"It's like a skirt?"

"Well you should like, stop being a slut and cover your shit," Natalia mocked Felicia in her uppity valley girl tone.

Felicia's green eyes watered with tears and I felt a surge of sympathy. I couldn't stand it when people cried. "U-um Natalia? I have a skirt that she can borrow. Maybe I can take her to her room…. I mean you've already helped me a lot and everything and I—"

Natalia waved her hands with exasperation. "Fine with me. I'm so fucking done with the freshman this year," she snapped. With one last deadly hiss, Natalia slithered back into the elevator. Fine with me. She could go terrorize someone else for all I care.

I let out a relieved sigh. My fear diminished as I returned back to my normal not-scared-as-shit mood. "She's something huh?" I laughed. Felicia gave little hiccups as her boyfriend rubbed her back soothingly. Toris looked to me gratefully. "T-thank you miss. But I think that I could have handled it," he spoke in a strange accent that I couldn't quite place.

"S-s-stop lying *hiccup* Toris. You just sat there like a little bitch," Felicia wailed as she proceeded to pummel Toris with a round of frilly punches to his chest. While the couple had their little banter, which was more like Felicia screaming profanities and Toris apologizing over and over again, I searched my suitcase for another skirt.

"Here," I tossed Felicia a a hot pink pencil skirt. Felicia returned my gesture with a blank stare. "You do like pink right?"

Felicia's squeal answered my question. Before I knew it, the Pole had me pinned up against the wall, using a mind boggling amount of strength for a girl so small. "Thank you, thank you, thank you! What's your name?" I tried to hide my grimace while Felicia attacked my cheeks with a series of glossy kisses.

"Cheya," I squirmed as I tried to free myself from the wall.

"Coolio, thanks for saving my ass by the way."

"Sure thing," I grimaced again as Felicia's elbows unintentionally dug into my rib cage. I gave Toris a pleading look, who thankfully took my cue and pulled (more like pried) Felicia away from me. "Felicia, we should get going. I still have to meet my roommate," Toris winced, closing his eyes as he prepared himself for another round of Felicia's girly wrath.

"M'Kay. Bye Cheya," Felicia blew me an air kiss and skipped towards the opposite end of the hallway ( _Dieu Merci_ ). Was everyone here crazy, or was it just me? And I still haven't even met my roommate yet. With all this craziness, she could be a cross-dressing stripper for all I know.

I grudgingly trudged through the brightly lit hall way. The doors of the rooms were plaqued with bold metal numbers and bore fancy knocking things. Yeah, I'm French and I don't know much about house décor, sue me.

I reached the end of the hallway and turned towards the door labelled room 805. I took a deep breath. _Here we go, don't mess up. Just be your normal self and you'll be fine_. With my mental pep-talk out of the way, I opened the door. A cozy looking apartment came into view. A small fridge and counter lay to my right and on my left lay a green leather couch and ivory coffee table. Behind the couch, a wooden staircase led up to the bedroom portion of the apartment.

Something about this room was a little odd and I looked to the window. Ah. The room's tall black curtains were shut, shrouding the room in blackness. I stumbled over to the couch and turned on the pole lamp sitting next to it.

"Ack!" I screamed. A bespectacled figured sat on the couch in front to me. A pair of wide violet eyes looked up to me with fright. The figure's mane of blond ringlets trembled with fear.

"What were you doing, sitting in the dark?" I asked in exasperation. Well, it looked like I had a vampire for a roommate. Her pale skin and all black clothing wasn't helping with my assumption either.

Vampire girl twirled her curls nervously. "Y-y-you noticed me?" she squeaked.

"Well how couldn't I? It's not every day that you meet a roommate who sits alone in the dark looking all ominous. The name's Cheya by the way," I sighed as I extended a hand to the quivering girl.

"Madeline, but you can call me Maddie," the girl gave me a weak but strangely angelic smile.

"Are you going to tell me why you were sitting in the dark?" Before she could answer, we heard a loud thump followed by a series of muffled screams.

"What now?" I groaned. Maddie followed me out into the hallway. It sounded like the girls from room 804 were in the midst of a heated argument.

"WHAT THE FUCK FELI? I can't believe you brought an entire suitcase filled with pasta. Who in their right fucking mind does that?!"

"But _sorella_! Do you want us to die from that crapola in the grocery store? Besides, you should be happy. I can cook for us every night."

"That doesn't excuse the fact that you made me carry that heavy ass suitcase."

"Be nice! Nonno's right. You're not going to have any friends if you keep acting this way."

" _CHIGI_. You wanna go Pasta brain?"

I looked to Maddie who gave a large gulp in response. Well someone had to do something. I opened the door and rushed into my neighbor's living room. And what a chaotic scene it was. Two teenage girls were rolling on the ground. I almost mistook them for being identical twins, but after looking closely, I could detect slight differences between the two of them. The girl who lay on top of her sister had dark auburn hair and hazel eyes, whereas the girl pinned to the ground had reddish-brown hairs and brown eyes, which at the moment, were wide with fear.

The auburn haired girl appeared to be strangling her sister. I stood at the entrance and cleared my throat. "Hello." I got no response. "Excuse me," I said in a much louder voice.

"What the fuck do you want?" The auburn haired girl's eyes flashed with annoyance, grunting as she used a booted foot to pin her squealing sister to the ground.

"Nice to meet you too. My name's Cheya if—"

"Can it bitch with the braids, I've heard enough."

 _"S-orella,"_ the girl pinned to the ground whined.

That comment struck a chord with me. "Listen up fuckers. It's one thing to fight with your sister, but to be rude to someone you haven't even met? How about a simple hello, or I don't know, a 'nice to fucking meet you'," I seethed.

Auburn girl ran a hand through her long hair. She then looked to the ground with an unexpected burst of shyness. "Sorry, I'm not good with people," she muttered.

I gave the girl an encouraging smile. "It's cool. Siblings fight, people get angry and whatever," I waved my hands around casually. "By the way I like your outfit."

The girl blushed, unconsciously straightening the red romper that she was wearing. "Thanks, my name's Lovina, and this is Feliciana, but everyone calls her Feli." Lovina removed her foot from her sister's stomach. Disorientated, a ditsy looking Feli sat up, her eyes wide with wonder as she stared at the ceiling.

Lovina looked at Feli and rolled her eyes. " _Idiota,_ I didn't hit you _that_ in hard in the head."

Feli gave me a grateful look. "Graci!" her wide brown eyes beamed with excitement.

I turned around and giggled when I saw that Maddie was cowering behind the door. When Lovina started to yell at me, I guess she took that as her excuse to escape from this madness. I gave Maddie a reassuring smile as I silently coaxed her into stepping out from her hiding place.

"H-hi. I'm Cheya's roommate," Maddie spoke in a soft whisper.

Lovina placed her hands on her hips. "Oi? Did someone just speak?" The Italian's amber eyes scanned over the room.

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, that's my roommate Maddie."

"Oh, Hello," A dazed Feli sauntered over to Maddie. "Your hair's so pretty, can I brush it? I never have any friends because _sorella_ always scares them away," she pouted.

Maddie gave me an uncomfortable look, her eyes widening with alarm as they pleaded for me to help her. I gave the Canadian a shooing motion that spelled "just deal with it." I turned to Lovina. "So what program are you guys in?"

"We're both in the culinary program, you?"

"Political Science and Criminology."

Maddie grunted as she tried to tug herself free from Feli's grasp. "Hey I'm in Criminology too!" Alfred did mention that his sister was in the Criminology program. Even though Maddie's hair was a paler shade of blonde than Alfred's, she did share similar features with him. They both had delicately shaped noses and lanky body frames.

"Are you Alfred's sister by any chance?" I asked.

"Yeah, how'd you know?" Maddie asked in a wary voice.

"We talked for a while and he helped me with my bags," my phone started to ring. "Please excuse me."

I walked out into the hallway. "Hello?"

"Cheya?" Gilbert's voice boomed from the other end of the line. I cringed when I heard blaring German techno music in the background.

"Gil, turn the music down. I can hardly hear you."

"Ja, sorry. Look Antonio and I found this cool place to eat on campus. Do you want to meet up later?"

"Sure! Can I bring a few friends?"

"Does that include Alfred?"

I rolled my eyes. "Nope just a few girlfriends."

Gilbert's mood seemed to lighten up at the thought. "Awesome! The more the merrier."

"Shit, gotta go. Antonio just got his head stuck in the window"

"HE WHAT?!"

"Nothing, nothing. The guys just got together and did some dares. BYE," Gilbert hung up the phone before I could question him further.

" _Mon dieu_ , why am I even friends with them?" I asked the flower pot.

"Friends with who?" Maddie chirped.

I looked to my newly made friends, all of whom were standing at the door, their eyes narrowing as they shamelessly listened in on my conversation. "You'll find out later tonight. Do you guys want to go out for dinner tonight? My friends found a restaurant and they said that I could bring you guys."

A wide-eyed Feli clung onto my arm. "Is their pasta?"

"Sorry I didn't ask."

Lovina gave her sister a quick smack to the head. "It doesn't matter. Besides, you're the one who said that I had to make friends."

"Ve~, you're right sorella," Feli sighed happily. Apparently being smacked in the head was a normal occurrence for Feli.

I turned to Maddie. "Sounds good to me, eh?"

I clapped my hands together. "Perfect! Meet us in our room at 6:30."

* * *

"Hey Maddie, are you all settled in?" I asked while I pried through our fridge. It looks like I'd have to make a grocery list. One of the perks of going to this school was that they actually paid for your food. I know right? A perfect paradise. The school got enough donors from wealthy politicians, lawyers, or basically any other famous person who graduated in previous years. The price, however, was their crazily inflated tuition rates.

"Oh, are you making a grocery list?" Maddie padded over to the kitchen in her fuzzy maple leaf slippers.

"Yeah, I figured that we'd get it done before we go out tonight. I put everything in it that I want, so the rest's up to you," I handed Maddie the pen and paper.

"Thanks. This may sound weird but who does the shopping for us?"

"Um, I think that they hire students to do the shopping for us. Anyways, I still have to unpack. See you in a few."

"Erm, yeah. Sounds good."

I grabbed my remaining suitcases and hauled them up the stairs. A slim hallway split into two rooms, each of which were connected by a single bathroom. I opened the door and faced a depressingly small room. A twin sized bed took up most of the room and a shabby desk hugged the right-hand side of the wall. Sigh. This was going to take some getting used to. Well, if I was going to stay here, I might as well get comfortable.

Time whirred by as I decorated my room with my most beloved belongings. I took a step back and admired my work. Pictures framed my walls, varying from ones of my Papa and I, to goofy photos of my friends. I grinned at the picture frame resting on my desk. Bella always had terrible timing with her selfies. I had just stuffed my mouth with a grand helping of chocolate cake when the Belgian decided to that it would be a good time to snap a graduation picture. I smiled at the camera, chocolate icing smeared across my teeth and lips, while Bella puckered her perfectly glossed lips into a cat-like pout.

"Hey," Maddie timidly knocked on the door before she let herself in. "Wow, you must have a lot of fun with your friends," she commented, her violet eyes widening with awe as she stared at my museum of photos.

"These people are the only ones who keep me sane," I mused.

"You're pretty lucky. I didn't have that many friends back in high school," Maddie shifted her feet uncomfortably.

"Why not? You're so cute. Any person would be crazy not to hang out with you," I said earnestly.

"T-they're not the problem. People always get the wrong idea when I don't make any effort to talk." Maddie sat on my bed and began to pick at her nails.

"Hey." I sat next to Maddie and bumped shoulders with her. "Would you like to be friends with me? I have a whole group of friends, and I'm always keen to share," I gave the Canadian an impish grin.

Maddie's violet eyes widened with surprise. "R-really? Thank you so much Cheya!" Maddie tackled me with an overbearing hug, which, of course, I returned with an equal amount of excitement. The poor girl was shaking from shock.

I patted Maddie's back soothingly. "Let's get you all dolled up for tonight huh? Wouldn't want you to make a bad first impression."

"R-right."

* * *

"Well, look at you darling. Don't you look fabulous," I pretended to take pictures with a poptart as if I were some sleazy paparazzi woman.

Maddie blushed, hiding behind her mane of blonde ringlets. "Thanks, but don't you think that this is a bit much?" she pointed to the ripped skinny jeans and tight black long-sleeved shirt that she was wearing.

"Huh?" I took a decent bite out of my cinnamon poptart. "I think that it fits your body quite well."

"Well, if you say so. And stop eating! You already went through an entire poptart box," she scolded.

"Why," I wailed. "It's not like Natalia's going to notice that I took it from downstairs. She's too busy eating the other freshman."

"I'm pretty sure that you're going to notice it when you gain fifteen pounds from that crap."

I placed a hand on my chest and gasped. " _Mon dieu_ , the angel can swear."

"That 'angel' can also speak French you know."

"Maddie, I think that this is the beginning of beautiful friendship."

"If you say so, ya glutton, now go and get dressed," the Canadian lectured as she shooed me upstairs.

"Yes mom," I mocked.

...

"What do you think?" I asked with a grin, my teeth flashing as I posed for a group of imaginary fans on the stairs. My outfit consisted of a black t-shirt dress and a pair of brown combat boots.

"OH! So cute." Maddie gushed. "But there's something missing."

"And what's that?"

Maddie shed me with a sly grin. "Come here and you'll find out."

I gave Maddie a wary look. "What are you up to, pancake?" Pancake was my nickname for Maddie. While we were getting ready, the Canadian spent a good half hour describing to me how much she loved the fluffy morning treat. Not that I minded. I loved to talk about anything that had to do with food.

Maddie sat on the couch and pointed to the spot in front of her. "Sit," she demanded.

I obliged and sat in front of my roommate. "Just so you know, I'm only doing this because you asked nicely."

"Hush my pet. Now let me do my work," the Canadian cooed. We sat there in silence, enjoying each others company until our door suddenly barged open with a loud crash. The crazy Italian girls from next door walked in, their hair billowing behind them as if they had just stepped off of the runway. Both twins let their loose curls cascade down their shoulders, but where Feli went for a more girly look, Lovina opted for more of a tomboyish style. Lovina wore a black crop top and baggy camouflage capris. Feli, on the other hand, sported a hot pink tube top dress.

Lovina flipped her hair in annoyance and straightened her shirt. "Well are we going or what?" she growled.

I held up my hands in surrender. "Patience young Cannoli, Maddie's just braiding my hair."

"The fuck did you just call me?"

"You heard me. Or would you prefer noodle brain instead?"

"Fine, call me whatever the fuck you want. Just hurry up," Lovina pulled out her phone and sat on the couch.

"Ohhhhhh! I didn't know that you could braid Maddie. Can you do me too?" Feli squealed.

"Of course Feli. But do you think that you could give me some space? I can't move," Maddie whimpered slightly as she tried to release herself from Feli's death grip.

" _Mi dispiace._ Vina? Do you want to get your hair done too? I'm sure it'll look really pretty," Feli looked to her sister, smiling and cooing as she tried to coax her sister into socializing with the rest of us.

"Count me out of this weird ass vagina party. What are we going to do next, braid each other's pube hair?" Lovina scoffed.

"And what the fuck does that mean?" I glared at Lovina. "Are you assuming that I'd willingly go down there?"

"Well, you are French. Can't trust those wine bastards."

"I'm half French," I corrected.

"Sorry, half wine bastard."

"Does that make you a pasta bastard?" I teased.

Lovina gave me a surprisingly genuine smile. "To be fair, pasta's Feli's thing."

"Ve, _sorella's_ right. She really likes tomatoes."

"There you go," Maddie tied the end of my braid. I stood up and Feli just about dove into my old spot. Poor girl. Knowing Lovina, Feli probably didn't get that much sisterly affection. My assumption was correct. Feli practically purred when Maddie began to part her hair.

Grinning, I leaned an elbow against Lovina's shoulder. "So Lovina, isn't this the part where we start insulting each other again?"

"I'd rather not wine bastard. You're the only one who can insult me back."

"Oh so you're scared now huh?"

"N-no. It's just I…. w-want. Tobefriendswithyou," Lovina mumbled.

I cupped a hand to my ear. "What was that? Can't hear you," I danced about the room, occasionally winking at the blushing Italian. I relished in her embarrassment.

Lovina cleared her throat. "I want to be fucking friends with you, alright? You're the first girl who didn't pussy out when I insulted them."

"Oh, Lovina! You should have said so earlier! To think we've missed out on a good two hours of bonding time."

Lovina gripped onto the couch pillow tightly, blushing profusely as she smothered her face with it. "I regret everything."

"Oh no you don't" I mused as I climbed to the top of the staircase. "EVERYONE! LOVINA WANTS TO BE FRIENDS WITH ME," I sang to yet another imaginary audience.

If Lovina was a cat, the hair on her back would be standing up. "If you don't shut up, I'm going to shove a fucking baguette down your throat."

"Alas, death by baguette. What a way to go. Out out brief baguette. Life's but a glass a wine. A cheap brand, that taunts and teases my lingering taste buds," I moaned for dramatic affect.

Lovina gave Maddie an incredulous look. "What the actual fuck is wrong with this chick?

"She had an entire box of poptarts before you guys came," Maddie explained.

I walked down the stairs. "You guys are no fun. I was just trying to lighten up the mood," I pouted.

"I thought that she was funny," Feli giggled.

I held out an arm for Feli. "Care to join me _m'amour_?"

"Of course… Chella!"

My sugar induced high began to die down. "Chella?"

"Well, you're very pretty. Get it Bella Chella?" Feli grabbed my hands and pulled me into a dance. I looked at the ground, avoiding Feli's warm gaze. A wave of memories of me and Bella dancing and singing our hearts out to ridiculous pop songs flooded my mind.

Feli seemed to pick up on my sudden change in mood. "Cheya, are you ok?" Feli's doe like eyes bored into mine.

"Never better," I gave Feli a false grin as we continued with our silly parade around the room.

Lovina tapped her foot impatiently against the ground. "Hey Morons? Maddie and I are waiting."

"Coming," Feli and I sang in harmony.

Lovina turned to Maddie. "At least I'm not the only sane person here."

I linked my arms with Maddie. "She's just jealous of our feminine bonding."

Lovina rolled her eyes. "Great, I'm going to dinner with the three fucketeers."

I laughed. "Just wait until you meet Antonio and Gilbert."

"What are you up to, wine bastard?" Lovina's eyes widened with horror.

"You'll find out soon enough," I cackled with glee.

* * *

Lol this chapter ended up being much longer than I thought, so I had to break into two. Shout out to my first follower though (you made my day!) Also, thanks for all the encouraging messages! *Since I split the chapter, the next chapter should be up within the next couple days. thanks again!

Please Review~!


	3. Ack! The British are Coming!

**Ack! The British Are Coming!:**

I stuck my hands on my hips and let out an annoyed sigh. "Well, this is the address he gave me." My friends and I stood in front of a sketchy looking bowling alley. To be honest, I really shouldn't have been so surprised. It was Gilbert that we were talking about here.

"Donny's Bowling Alley?" Lovina's eyebrows raised dangerously.

"Calm down, Sorella. It'll be fun. Besides it looks like they have a dance floor," Feli pointed towards a sign outside the entrance.

"Erm, we're not exactly dressed for bowling," Maddie piped in.

I gave Maddie a gentle pat to the back. "Knowing Gilbert, he probably came here for the dancing. Come on," I urged for my friends to follow my lead.

We entered the place and were immediately blinded by flashing disco lights and tacky neon colors. A blond haired boy sporting a red uniform and a green neon hat sat behind a counter. His shoulders were slumped with boredom and I couldn't help but feel a little sorry for the guy.

"First floor or second floor?" he drawled in a bored voice.

"What's the second floor?" I asked.

The boy looked up from his magazine and sighed. "The Second floor gives you access to the dining area and dance floor and the —"

"See Sorella, I told you!" Feli squealed.

The boy fidgeted with his glasses in irritation. "As I was saying, the first floor is the bowling part."

I flashed the boy with a flirty smile. "We'll take the second floor please." Hey, someone needed to lighten up his Friday night.

The boy pulled out four neon green paper bracelets and handed them to us. "There is no entrance fee tonight. You'll want to go to your right," he pointed towards a spiralling metal staircase.

I grinned. "Merci Beaucoup!"

"Yeah, yeah next."

"Well someone has a stick up his butt," Lovina mused.

We walked up the stairs and were met with a glaringly bright dance floor. Teenagers of all sorts danced to the blaring techno music. Girls flashed around in promiscuous outfits, whipping around their hair and teasing their male audience as they grinded against their friends. The bar and dining area lay to our left and the smell of liquor was so strong that my nostrils immediately started to burn.

"Fuck, it's so bright in here," Lovina complained as she shielded her eyes from the flashing lights of the disco ball.

"There you are!" A booming voice called from my left. A slightly drunk Gilbert sauntered over to us. Oh lord, here we go again. Whenever Gilbert had alcohol, he'd never know when to stop.

Gilbert draped a heavy arm over my shoulders. I grit my teeth in response. "And who might these ladies be?" he teased.

"Gilbert, how many beers have you had?" I scolded.

"Only three. The people at the bar are getting suspicious anyways," Grinning, Gilbert pulled out his fake ID.

" _Ciao_! My name's Feli and this is my twin sister Lovina," Feli gestured towards her scowling sister.

"Yeah, yeah, nice to meet you potato bastard. Now where's the food?" Lovina interrogated.

Gilbert chuckled. "Potato bastard?" I looked to Gilbert and mouthed " _Your accent"._

"Listen you wurst-loving fuck, if I don't have food in front of me in the next—"

I placed a hand over the squirming Italian's mouth. "What she means to say is that we'd like something to eat."

Gilbert rolled his eyes. " _Ja, Ja_ follow me." Gilbert stopped, his eyes widening with surprise as he took notice to Maddie's presence for the first time. "And what's your name _fraulein_?"

Maddie gave Gilbert a timid smile. "Maddie," she whispered.

Gilbert obviously didn't hear her. "Nice to meet you Megan!" Maddie rolled her eyes, but didn't make any attempt to correct the German on his mistake.

We followed Gilbert into the dining hall and I gave Maddie a small nudge to the shoulder. "Honey, you need to speak up. You had no problem goofing off with me earlier."

Maddie hid her face behind her hair. "That's different. I-I can't talk to guys." I sighed and decided to leave the girl be. I wasn't going to force her into doing anything that made her uncomfortable. Gilbert led us to a table where Antonio and some stranger were sitting.

Antonio grinned. "Hey _Chicas_." I noticed that Antonio was staring particularly at Lovina. Of all people, the Spaniard just had to choose the girl that would most likely murder him in his sleep. Lovina's hazel eyes narrowed as she aimed a distasteful glare in the ogling Spaniard's direction. "Like what you see bastard?"

"Si, I do," Antonio said in a dreamy voice. _SMACK._ The Spaniard's head flailed to the left with a painfully sounding thwack.

"Fiesty aren't we?" a boy with spiky blond hair and deep blue eyes mused, shedding us with a sly smirk.

"Let's just sit shall we?" I begged, scowling as I flashed Lovina with a disapproving look. "Act civilized," I whispered. Lovina sighed as she plopped herself between Maddie and Feli on one side of the table. The boys sat on the other end of the table, so I was left with no where to sit.

Gilbert gave me a cheeky grin. "You can always sit on my lap you know."

I grabbed a chair from another table. "In hell Beilschmidt."

Sitting down, I extended a hand to the blue eyed boy sitting across from me. "Cheya, nice to meet you." My hand was met with a firm grasp. "Mathias," the Dane purred as he brought my hand to his lips.

Gilbert smacked Mathias on the side of the head. "She's mine asshole."

I gave Gilbert an incredulous look. "Excuse me?"

Gilbert face flushed a deep red. "What I meant to say is that you're my friend…and I don't want perverts l-like him groping you with his eyes."

Mathias' blue eyes glittered with amusement. "Ahhh Gil, you take the fun out of everything," he pouted.

"Waiter!" Lovina called, snapping her fingers impatiently. "Bring me the strongest thing you got!" Lucky bitch. I don't drink alcohol, so I had no means of escaping from this awkward situation.

Gilbert raised a pale eyebrow at Lovina. "What? You think you're the only one with a fake ID?" she mused.

"I think that I just met the love of my life," Antonio murmured in awe.

"What was that _Stronzo?"_

"Nothing, Queen Lovina," Gilbert teased, answering for his dumbfounded friend.

"Ready to bolt when we can pancake?" I looked to Maddie, who gave me a vigorous nod in return.

...

Unfortunately our plan to bolt out of here didn't play out. After we finished eating our light dinner, which was nothing special if you wondering, Gilbert practically coerced us onto the dance floor. " _Oh no,"_ the German's irritating voice rang throughout my head. " _We're just getting started_."

I now found myself on the dance floor, jumping up and down to tacky rave music. My friends, drunk out their minds, stumbled around the room in their booze induced craze. Especially Lovina. Boy did that girl know how to party and dance. Although, I couldn't help but feel a bit sorry for Antonio. The Spaniard followed after Lovina like a helpless baby duckling.

 _"G-get away from me y-you bastard," a red faced Lovina screeched._

 _"Awww so mean Lovina! Dance with me Bella, you won't regret it," Antonio breathed into the fuming Italian's ear._

Speaking of said Italian, I watched as Lovina stumbled around the dance floor, her lips puckered into a scowl as she searched for her missing shoe. "Stupid ass Spaniard. Who the fuck does he think he is being all cute like that?" she grumbled to herself.

Antonio handed the Italian her missing shoe. "Loviiiii~!" the Spaniard slurred. "No more drinks for you, ehehe. Crazy woman."

Lovina smacked Antonio's hand away. "Whhooo do ya think you arre? *hiccup* Telling meh what to do. And don't call me Lovi, bastard." Lovina sat on the ground and gave Antonio a defiant look. "Well, what the fuck are you waiting fooor? Put it on," the Italian ordered as she pointed towards her naked foot.

My amusement of the night was interrupted when Gilbert decided to hug me from behind. "Hi," he slurred, the smell of beer still evident on his breath as he wrapped his arms around my waist.

I rolled my eyes. "Yes Gilbert?"

Gibert placed his chin on my head and sighed. "Nothing·"

"Gilbert."

" _Ja_?"

"You have ten seconds."

"Relax, _Hase_. Have some fun," Gilbert cooed as he buried his nose into my hair. _He must really be drunk_ , I thought.

I shivered and pushed Gilbert away. "You're drunk Gilbert, go home."

Gilbert cocked his head to the side. The German then gave me a drunken smirk. "You're so boooring! Even Megan's having fun," he pointed to Maddie, who at the moment, was intensely making out with Mathias on a bench. I winced. The Canadian was definitely going to regret that in the morning.

I gave Gilbert a stern look. "I'm leaving. Call me when you sober up dumbass."

"Cheya! Wait," he begged, but I had already walked away. It didn't matter anyways, he probably wouldn't remember any of this tomorrow. Besides, I needed some air.

* * *

"Fresh air at last," I gushed. Arms wide, I twirled and pranced about, giggling as I took in the crisp evening air.

I took out my phone and groaned.

"Five hours of my life that I'll never get back," I murmured, still talking to myself. And what was up with Gilbert making moves on me like that? _He's just drunk,_ a voice in my head rationalized. Yeah, but that doesn't explain why he's been acting so weird lately. _Maybe he likes you._

"Shut up!" I snapped.

A twig snapped to my left and I jumped. "Sorry babe, I didn't say anything." Alfred crawled out from a rose bush. I cocked my head to the side when I noticed the mischievous grin plastered on his face.

"Should I even ask?"

Alfred's eyes widened with fear. "Crap!" the American cried as he dove back into his hiding place.

"ALFRED, YOU GIT. WHERE ARE YOU?" A thick British accent bellowed across the court yard. A boy wearing nothing but a pair of black sweatpants and running shoes sprinted towards us. Furious green eyes scanned over the court yard.

"Oi, you there," the boy beckoned to me. I looked to Alfred, who placed his fingers to his lips. The American's eyes widened as they pleaded for me to keep quiet.

When I didn't answer, the boy let out a loathsome sigh. "Usually when someone asks you a question, you answer," he snapped.

"Sorry, I don't speak asshole," I retorted. The boy gave me an agitated look, and with a loathsome sigh, he ran a hand through his dishevelled blond hair. A smirk played on my lips. The boy seemed to have a short temper and if I was going to cover for Alfred, I might as well have a little fun...right? Not to mention the fact that the boy wasn't a sore sight on the eyes either **…** well minus those ghastly caterpillars that he called eyebrows.

Eyebrows took a deep breath. "I'm just looking for my cousin Alfred. Have you seen him anywhere?" Alfred gave me another pleading look from the bush.

"No," I lied.

"I don't believe you." The boy stepped closer, his thick eyebrows furrowing into a glare as he loomed over me. His green eyes bore into mine and I squirmed under the pressure, clearly embarrassed. What?! He was pretty cute, and now that he was closer, I had a perfect view of his lanky, yet muscular toned body. And _Mon Dieu_ , those cheekbones. My face flushed when I realized that I had been staring at him for too long.

"You think you know me?" I teased.

The boy rolled his eyes. "No, and quite frankly I'm glad that I don't."

"Ditto eyebrowzilla," I snapped back.

"Listen, I heard you talking to Alfred, so if you could just—"

"HAHAHA! Not to worry Artie! The hero is here," Alfred cackled as he sprung into action. The American placed an arm around my hips, giving 'Artie' a scolding look. "Now what would a twat like you be doing with a princess like this?" Alfred spun me around and I giggled. Smug in my entirety, I looked to see how Arthur would respond to such an insult.

Said Briton's face practically boiled with anger. "You bloody wanker, just give me back my shirt," he raged.

"Ah-Ah-Ah," Alfred waggled his fingers. "Consider this as payback for last semester. Hmmm. What to do, what to do?" Alfred flashed me with a suspicious looking grin. I took a few steps back.

"Alfred, what are you doing?" I asked warily.

Alfred's shark-like grin answered my question. "Taking your wallet."

"W-what?" I choked out.

Alfred pulled out a black leather wallet (my wallet?!) from the front pocket of his bomber jacket. "You shouldn't travel alone. Pickpocketer's would eat you alive."

"Give it back," I jumped as I tried to reach the wallet that Alfred shamelessly waved above my head. Damnit. Why did I have to be so short? I stopped jumping and gave Alfred the dirtiest glare that I could muster.

Alfred stroked his chin. "I'm feeling pretty generous today so—"

"If you're so generous, then give me my fucking wallet," I seethed.

"Tsk, Tsk. A lady shouldn't swear like that. Tell you what: if you guys catch me, I'll give you your stuff back."

"WHAT?" Arthur spluttered.

"I'm with eyebrows on this. What do you have to gain from this anyways?" I questioned.

"Boredom I guess."

"Good fucking answer," Eyebrows and I spat in perfect harmony.

"See! You guys are perfect for each other," Alfred just about cooed.

Eyebrows enlightened Alfred with another murderous glare. "Family or not, I'm about two seconds away from strangling you to death."

"Oh yeah, like that'd help with our situation," I muttered sarcastically.

"Did I ask you?"

"Shut it crumpet boy," I growled.

"What does that even mean?"

"Take a wild guess."

Arthur gave me a disgusted look. "I'd rather not." The more that I got to know the boy, the less attractive that he became. The Briton had this way of making everyone around him feel inferior. His self-righteousness got the best of him and I wasn't having any of it.

My chest puffed up with anger. "Listen up build-a-scone, I've just about had it with you."

"It's Arthur," he snarled back at me.

" _MERDE_!"

"WHAT?!"

"He's gone."

"WHAT?" Arthur spun around and scowled. "Great, now what do we do?"

I stalked away from Arthur. "Do what you want, I'll find him on my own."

"Wait," Arthur ran after me. "He did say that BOTH of us have to find him." I ignored him and kept walking. When Arthur didn't stop following me, I broke into a sprint. I decided to head over to my dorm building. Knowing Alfred, he'd turn up wherever Natalia was.

After sprinting for a while, I decided to take a break and sit on a bench. "Oi!" a familiar but irritating voice echoed from behind me.

"What now?" I groaned. Arthur sat next to me on the bench. With a smug grin plastered on his obnoxiously arrogant face, the Briton chuckled to himself. "Come now love, did you really think that that jog would throw me off?" he mused.

"No, but if you're not careful I won't hesitate to throw you off this bench," I threatened. Arthur held up his hands in surrender. "Listen, I just want to get my shirt back."

I cracked up with laughter. "What? Girls not digging your pasty-ass skin?" I joked as I pointed towards his bare chest.

Arthur clearly didn't appreciate my joke. "You're absolutely insufferable, you know that?"

" _Ta Gueule,"_ I spat.

Arthur's brow furrowed with annoyance. "English please."

"FUCK YOU."

"I think I preferred the latter." I rolled my eyes. Seriously who spoke like that? I clenched my fists and waited for Arthur to leave. Unfortunately for me, the Briton seemed intent on staying. I slumped over the bench and pulled out my phone. "SIRI, how do you get rid of an annoying British man?"

"Give me that," Arthur snatched the phone from my hands.

"Who do you think you are?" I screamed as I fumbled for my phone.

"You can have it back after you tell me your name."

"Cheya," I grumbled.

The cocky expression on the Briton's face was instantaneous. "Wow, I wasn't expecting so much cooperation."

"I'm not a pet you know," I growled as I snatched my phone out his hands. I stood up and Arthur smirked up at me from the bench. The Briton crossed his legs into a casual stance, gleefully taking pride in his small victory over me. The lighting from the moon accentuated his soft pale skin and his green cat-like eyes provoked me into temptation. _Merde. Merde. Merde_. _The guy's an asshole, don't be attracted to him._

Arthur caught me staring at him. I blushed. "A-are you coming or not?" I stammered. Arthur chuckled and ran a hand through his messy blond hair. "Why, I thought that you'd never ask," the Briton cooed in a tone that just about oozed with self pride.

The next few minutes of walking were spent in an awkward silence. Every so often I would catch Arthur staring at me, but I think that it was just to annoy me. If that wasn't enough, the bastard started humming along to some off key tune. I had half the mind to stuff my fist down his throat. Mon Dieu, I was starting to sound like Lovina.

When we finally reached my dorm building, Arthur let out a hearty chuckle. "So that's why he took your wallet. The dumbass wanted an excuse to talk to Natalia." That still didn't explain why Alfred took his shirt though...

"Hide," I screamed as I pulled Arthur behind a tree.

"Wha—," I slapped a hand over the rambling Briton.

Hmmm I should do that more often. He was much more attractive when I didn't have to hear that snarky ass tone of his.

I crouched behind the tree, smiling to myself as an angry looking Arthur tried to pry my hand off of his mouth. "Natalia's right by the entrance, and she doesn't look too happy," I pointed a finger towards a scowling Natalia, who at the moment, was picking her nails with a pocket knife. Yeah you heard right. A freaking pocket knife.

Arthur freed himself from my grasp. "Are you a freshman?" he whispered.

"Yeah?"

Arthur's face paled. "Oh."

Before I could question Arthur's weird change in behavior, Alfred strolled right past us, humming along to the the American national anthem as he practically pranced over to the scowling Belarusian. "Hey Nat," he called out. "I found one of your girl's wallets, and being the hero that I am, I'd like to return it."

Natalia rolled her eyes when she saw the approaching American. "That's not my biggest concern right now," she seethed.

Alfred cocked his head to the side. "Then what is?"

"One of my sources told me that four of my freshman got drunk at Donny's bowling Alley. Now you wouldn't have anything to do with that… right Alfred?" Natalia pointed her knife at Alfred's chest.

Ignoring the imminent threat to his life, Alfred smiled. "Naww. I just came here to return a wallet...and to see you of course!"

"Yeah, the one that you stole," I screamed. I ran out of my hiding place. I immediately regretted my decision when Natalia directed a merciless glare in my direction. I took a few steps back, but Natalia's lilac eyes continued to glower at me. "DID YOU DRINK TONIGHT?" she interrogated.

"N-no, I don't drink," I stuttered. My eyes never left the knife that Natalia held in her hand.

Natalia loomed over me and grabbed my wrist. Her claw-like nails drew blood instantaneously. "Prove it. Let me smell your breath."

I consented and breathed into her face. Natalia's rage lessened a bit. "You're clear. But just so you know, if I EVER catch underage drinking in my dorm, the cops will be the least of your problems."

Natalia turned to Alfred again. "Now what is this I hear about you stealing wallets?"

Alfred fidgeted with my wallet and gave Natalia a sheepish look. "Don't forget my shirt," Arthur cried. The Briton too ran out of his hiding place.

Natalia looked like she was ready to erupt any second now. "Alfred," she whispered in a murderous tone. Arthur took this moment to step in between Natalia and Alfred. A brave act on his part I'd have to admit. "If you want to beat Alfred shitless, you'll have to get in line," he growled.

Natalia shrugged her shoulders as she humored Arthur with a carnivorous grin. "Fine by me. I have some meat to pick with three other freshman." And with that, Natalia stalked into the night, her heels clacking against the ground furiously. The Belarusian was partaking in a manhunt, and I felt sorry for those unfortunate enough to be her prey.

 _Putain_! Those were my friends that she was after! I looked up to the sky and sent a quick prayer. _Please don't let her find them._

Arthur let out a sharp grunt, snapping me back to my senses. "Can I please just have my wallet back?" I groaned, ignorant to the fact that the two boys were on the ground, rolling in what appeared to be a wrestling match. Arthur had the upper hand as he pinned a squirming Alfred to the ground. Alfred then took this opportunity to sack Arthur in the stomach. Arthur groaned, collapsing onto the ground next to Alfred.

Before Alfred could have another go at Arthur, I stomped one of my combat boots on top of his chest. A pair of defeated blue eyes looked up to me. "Yes Cheya?"

"Oh nothing, I just enjoy being on top," I teased. With a grin, I placed even more pressure onto Alfred's chest.

"Why didn't you say so?" Alfred smirked as he jerked my hand towards him. With a cry, I fell on top of Alfred, groaning as I rubbed my sore head. To make it worse, my dress flew up, giving anyone behind me a clear view of my Superman underwear.

"Oh Chella~," Feli sang from behind me. Shit. I scrambled off Alfred and stood up. A very intoxicated Feli stood in front of me, giggling as she ran a hand through her teased up hair. Well someone had a wild night of partying.

"That boy was staring at your butt," Feli giggled as she pointed towards a blushing Arthur.

"Fucking Hell, I was not!" Arthur protested, his embarrassed expression, however, said otherwise.

"Listen Feli. We need to get you inside before Natalia catches you. She knows that you guys were out drinking," I warned. Who was I kidding, there was no way that'd I'd be able to shake any sense in that girl at the moment. The Italian was too drunk for her own good.

Feli yawned. "Kay. I think that I'll take a nap here," the Italian sighed as she curled up into a ball next to a stunned Alfred.

"Oh no you don't," I grabbed Feli by the armpits, gasping as I staggered under her dead weight. "Jesus Feli, how much Pasta do you eat?"

Feli gave me a dreamy look. "A lot."

"Come on Pasta head, let's get you to bed."

"No! I want to stay here," she whimpered.

I let out a dramatic sigh. "To think that I'd let you make me some pasta..."

Feli stood up in an instant. "Coming."

"Cheya?" A sheepish looking Alfred interrupted my train of thought. The idiot was still sitting on the ground and when he saw my glare, he cowered.

"What?" I growled. Hey, the boy made this night a total nightmare for me. First he stole my wallet and then he made me team up with his obnoxious British cousin. Babysitting a drunk Feli didn't exactly help with my mood either.

"Here," he tossed me my wallet.

"Oh so generous," I muttered sarcastically.

Alfred gave me a defeated look. "I'm sorry. I just wanted to talk to Nat," he pouted.

I sighed loathsomely. "I forgive you."

Alfred's mood improved upon hearing my pardon. "You're the best," he gushed.

"Feli stand up straight," I whined as I buckled under the Italian's weight once more.

"Oh! Here, let me help you with her," Alfred offered as he hooked an arm around the tipsy Italian's waist.

"Fine by me, nighty night eyebrows," I raised my hand in a mock salute, smirking as I pleasured myself in irking the already flustered Briton. He wouldn't even meet my gaze.

"Goodnight Lo-, um-erm…. Cheya," Arthur mumbled awkwardly.

Alfred's blue eyes lit up with glee. "OHHHHH. ARTIE LIKES SOMEONE," he bellowed into the night.

Feli breathed into my ear. "So loud," she mumbled.

"I know honey," I soothed as I patted her head.

Arthur gave his cousin a spiteful look. "I'm just tired of your crap. Forgive me if I can't string a proper sentence together."

"You better watch it Kirkland."

"Or what?" Arthur stood up and brought himself eye to eye with Alfred. Even though Alfred was a good four inches taller than Arthur, Alfred backed away from his fuming cousin.

"Easy now tiger. I know that you're sexually frustrated, but you don't have to take it out on me."

"I'm not sexually frustrated, you git. I get plenty of hot action, unlike your sorry ass who constantly gets rejected by that, THAT PSYCHO."

"If you guys are done venting your undying love for each other, I could use a little help," I wheezed. Someone needed to sack those two idiots. Too bad I was still holding onto a very drunk Italian.

"Sorry babe. Let's take her inside," Alfred apologized. The American wrapped his arm around Feli's waist again. "This isn't over tea douche," he jeered.

"Go fuck yourself Jones."

"Every night Kirkland!" Alfred shouted over his shoulders.

* * *

Wooo I finished another one. (I have a lot of time now that my first semester of University is done lol). I got my first review (: Thank you 3 It means a lot. I'm thinking of doing a chapter full of flash backs, either for the next one, or the one after. ALSO I GOT TO WRITE ARTHUR'S CHARACTER FINALLY. Hehe. Until next time my two followers, which I am very grateful for might I add! Until next time :p

*Note when Antonio says Bella in the bowling Alley, he is referring to the Spanish word for Beautiful not Bella (Belgium).

Please Review~!


	4. Prucanyounot?

**Prucanyounot?:**

"Cheya, you wouldn't know where the maple syrup went, eh," Maddie asked in a slightly alarmed tone of voice.

I looked up from my lap top and stretched my arms. "Nope, not a clue." That was a lie. What really happened was that I had smeared the remaining maple syrup on my evening pop tarts last night, but I figured that it was best not to tell Maddie that.

Maddie walked over and sat next to me on the couch. "Still writing that paper huh?" her violet eyes narrowed and her eyebrows furrowed with annoyance. "Tumblr again? I thought you said that paper was due this afternoon," the Canadian scolded me in her infamous 'mama bear' voice.

"Shhhh, I'm reblogging photos of cats in ugly Christmas sweaters. My paper can wait." I really just wanted an excuse to avoid doing my homework. Turns out, professors can assign papers before the first day of class. Right now I was procrastinating at writing a paper for my Cold War Politics class. But hey, it was only 500 words, so it's not like I couldn't bullshit it at the last minute.

Maddie sighed. "You're the most unproductive person that I've ever met. Do something. Look up your professor, take a walk outside, or I don't know, get dressed! You've been wearing those pajamas since yesterday," she rambled on, most likely taking her anger out on me because she didn't have her morning fix of maple syrup. The girl was border line addicted to that stuff.

"You know, looking up my professor isn't that bad of an idea. It'll give me a perspective on what I should bullshit about," I mused.

Maddie scoffed sarcastically. "Your motivation inspires me."

I chose to ignore that comment. "Hmmm, Ivan Braginski, what are you about my friend?" I mumbled as I typed my professor's name into google. A picture of a tall white haired man wearing a beige trench coat and a matching white scarf popped up on my screen. "Pancake look, he's holding up a Russian flag! He's totally a commie," I bragged to Maddie, chuckling to myself as I waited for her to comment on my impressive detective skills.

Maddie rolled her eyes. "Being Russian and being a Communist are two _very_ different things," the Canadian deadpanned.

"Oh come on," I protested. "This guy practically screams Bolshevik and political oppression. Just look at that stone-cold face and tell me that he's not some spy ready to inflict doom onto our 'greedy' capitalist economy," I drawled in a spooky voice. Maddie gave me a look that spelled: "What kind of drugs are you on, eh?"

"I'll have what she's having," Gilbert laughed as he walked into our apartment. I made a mental note to lock my apartment. The German was never one to knock.

"Last thing I ate was poptarts and maple syrup," I stopped, letting out a gasp as I cupped my hands over my mouth. Oh _Merde_. I, the all famous, maple syrup burglar, had just been caught red handed.

"I KNEW IT," Maddie screamed as she heaved a pillow into my face.

"You win this one Williams," I mumbled, scowling as I smoothed down my now ruffled hair.

"I'm hiding it next time," Maddie seethed. Her pale hands gripped onto her mug of tea rather tightly. "Maybe when you get fat, you'll stop eating so much."

"Says the girl who pours half a bottle of maple syrup into her coffee every morning," I retorted.

Shoulders shaking with unprecedented rage, Maddie turned on her heels. The fuming Canadian began to walk upstairs. "That's my treat of the day," she sniffed indignantly.

Gilbert gave Maddie an impressed look. "Wow Megan. I didn't know that you were so feisty," he teased.

"That's because you don't know me."

"Oh, and what if I wanted to get to know you?" Gilbert proposed.

"Well to start, maybe you should learn my name," she snapped. Maddie fastened her fluffy red robe and crossed her arms. "The name's MADDIE," a pair of angry violet eyes confronted Gilbert's all too surprised red ones.

Gilbert let out a sharp whistle. "Ballsy aren't we?"

"Surprised? Well get used to it. I don't tolerate shit like this," Maddie growled. I was now the one to give Maddie a look of shock. I didn't expect that an angel like her would fight back against Gilbert's teasing. And to think that she was winning too.

Gilbert walked over to the foot of the staircase. With a cocky grin on his face, the German looked up to the glowering Canadian."Well aren't we just a little ball of sunshine?"

"And what does that make you? A ray of douche bag?"

 _Sassy Canadian Roommate: 1 Douche Bag Gilbert: 0_

I burst out laughing. I'm sorry, I couldn't help it. Maddie was absolutely destroying Gilbert. "Gilbert, I wouldn't worry. She's just grumpy because she's experiencing maple syrup withdrawal," I giggled.

Gilbert, on the other hand, was too busy trying to defend his now shattered ego. "You know, you seemed much nicer when you were making out with Matthias," he purred, his red eyes gleaming with triumph. Gilbert knew her weakness, and being the ass that he was, he exploited it.

Maddie's face blushed a deep red. Ever since that night at Donny's, Matthias was relentless in his pursuit of her. First it was text messages, then it was the calls, and then it escalated to outright stalking. Last night I spotted the Dane standing outside our dorm building, and when he saw me peering down at him from my apartment window, he waved at me and smiled as if what he was doing was perfectly normal. But don't tell Maddie that I saw this. She's already had enough to deal with this morning.

"I haven't answered a single one of his calls or texts, so I don't know what you're implying," Maddie scoffed with a slight undertone of vulnerability. Too bad Gilbert picked up on this.

"Judging by your face, thinking of Matthias makes you hot and bothered, huh?"

"Gilbert that's enough," I intervened. "Maddie, I'll get you another bottle of maple syrup from downstairs, and YOU," I jabbed a finger at Gilbert. "Learn to behave yourself for once. Maddie's my friend and I expect you to treat her like one."

Maddie calmed down at the thought of having her maple syrup dilemma fixed. "Fine by me. Sorry about that Gilbert, Cheya's right. I tend to get worked up when I don't eat properly. I hope that we can be friends, eh?"

Gilbert's pursed his lips into a cocky grin. "I'd like that."

Maddie leaned over the upstairs railing. "Sweet. I'll be up in my room reading if you need me for anything."

When he was sure that Maddie couldn't hear him, Gilbert spoke. "I like her."

"Paws off demon eyes. She's too good for you."

Gilbert sat next to me on the couch. "She's not the one that I have eyes for," he smirked. With a wink, Gilbert kicked at my ankles playfully. I shrunk under his gaze. There he goes giving me that weird look again. Gilbert's face usually wore an arrogant expression, but right now his red eyes grazed over my face in an uncharacteristically gentle way. I moved farther away from my friend, hoping to put some distance between us on the couch.

I mean, I'm sure that I was just overreacting. He couldn't possibly like me. But then, why was he looking at me like that? Gilbert started to hum and I leaned against the back of the couch, cussing to myself as I let an awkward silence fall between us. I swept my hair over the side of my face. I turned my attention back to my lap top and continued to scroll through my tumblr dash board.

"What are you up to?" Gilbert whispered into my ear. _Merde,_ he talked. Damnit! I needed to stop acting so stiff _._ For God's sake, I've been friends with him for close to 13 years now. I shouldn't be this uncomfortable, yet here I was, leaning away from Gilbert as if he were some stranger.

 _You had no problem leaning against his chest when you watched those movies_ , an irritating voice in my head teased. _But that's different_ , I protested. _That's what best friends do._

 _Oh really now? Since when do best friends cuddle? He's a boy, you're a girl. Do the math._

The voice had a point. What if I had been leading on Gilbert the entire time? Could I even think of Gilbert in a romantic way? ...Maybe?

Gilbert coughed impatiently. Oh that's right he asked me a question. But what was it? I was too wrapped up in my thoughts to remember.

Gilbert's loud voice shook me back into focus. "CHEYA?"

"Ack! What?" I stammered.

Gilbert's red eyes flashed with annoyance. "Forget it."

"N-no, I'm sorry. I've got a lot on my mind right now."

Gilbert lowered his voice. "Ja, you've already got a paper due right? Maybe I could help you relax," he suggested.

Did the room get hotter or was it just me?

"I'm fine," I squeaked. I mentally slapped myself for my pathetic behavior.

Gilbert raised a pale eyebrow at me. "Really now? I could fry an egg on your forehead. You're just that red," the German smirked as he raised a finger to flick me in the forehead.

"Am not!" I protested.

Gilbert cupped his hands around my face and I immediately looked down. "You're acting really weird you know," he joked as he squished my face.

"Maybe you should let me go," I mumbled incoherently.

"What was that _Hase_?"

"I haven't wrote the paper yet and it's due in two hours." Gilbert's perky attitude deflated when he heard me speak those words. His hands snapped back to his sides and he sighed loudly. "So unawesome. I guess…that I'll leave you to it then," he sulked. He looked like he wanted me to ask him to stay, but I didn't say a word. I was too confused to think let alone act.

Gilbert stood at the door, looking like a puppy who had just been scolded by his master. "Remember to call your father later."

I gave Gilbert a lame smile. Yeah, as if that could compensate for this unbearably awkward situation. "Of course. Thank you for reminding me."

Gilbert stretched his arms behind his head. I winced. That was one of Gilbert's nervous habits... "No problem, oh and if you ever decide to come out of hiding, invite us over kay? Not everyone gets to stay in a luxurious apartment. I mean, I love Antonio like a brother and all, but being within five feet of him all day gets tiring you know?"

I walked over to the front door to see Gilbert off. "Gilbert, my home is your home. You've always known that."

Gilbert smiled and gave me a hug, sighing deeply as he let his head fall on my shoulder. "Thanks Cheya, I really needed that."

"Enough with your moping, idiot. I just need a bit of time to do my paper, **"** I growled.

"There she is," Gilbert chuckled.

"What?"

"Nothing…" Gilbert turned his back to me and mumbled something to himself.

* * *

 **Gilbert's POV:**

"Nothing…" Gilbert mumbled. "I love you that's all," he whispered only loud enough for himself to hear. Cheya gave him a guilty smile and closed the door. Gilbert leaned against the wall and slumped to the ground. Just what the fuck was that? Gilbert felt like he was going to throw up. Damnit. He went too far this time. Cheya knew that something was up with him. Heck, even she herself was acting weird. She wouldn't even look at him.

 _Mein Gott,_ did he ever feel disgusted with himself. _I must seem like I'm forcing myself on her,_ he thought. Perhaps this was why she seemed so distant. But Gilbert only wanted to get closer to her. He wanted to lose himself in those bright amber eyes of hers. He could usually read her emotions like a book, but not today.

"Fuck," Gilbert cursed out loud.

 _I messed up. I royally fucked up. I-I don't deserve her._

Who was he to Cheya? They were best friends for so long, but somewhere along the way Gilbert had fallen for her charm. And now his feelings jeopardized their entire friendship. Gilbert couldn't deny this either. The moment that he had started to flirt with her, Cheya's extroverted demeanor changed. She didn't respond to his jokes and she ignored his questions. The fiery girl that he fell for had become trapped and isolated in her own skin.

Did he really make her feel that uncomfortable? The thought of doing such a thing made Gilbert clench his fists. The German swore as he raised a hand to wipe at his watery eyes. He wasn't crying, oh no. Awesome people don't cry. It was just allergies that's all!

But there was one thing that Gilbert couldn't stop thinking about. If Cheya didn't have any feelings for him, why did she blush when he moved closer to her? Surely there had to be some sort of spark between the two of them? _There has to be_ , he thought. _I'm not going to let her slip away so easily._

And with that, Gilbert decided on his plan of action. He was going to back off a little and give his friend some time to sort out her feelings.

Being close to her would have to do for now. He had waited for several years now. Surely a couple more months wouldn't make that much of a difference. Right? _Yeah, I'm sure that she'll come around. And if not, well…. we'll get to that when the time comes,_ he reasoned with himself.

Gilbert stood up and placed a hand on Cheya's door. "I'm coming for you _Liebling_. Like it or not this is the real me."

* * *

 **Gilbert's POV:**

"I thought that I told you to leave me alone," a girl with stubby little pig tails glared at the red-eyed boy standing in front of her.

"Ja, but that was yesterday," the red-eyed boy flashed the girl with a cocky grin.

Piggy tails, a name that Gilbert liked to call his new friend, stuck out her tongue at him and went back to attending to her sand castle. She started to roll a sand ball. Gilbert liked the way how her amber eyes glowed with mischief.

Gilbert raised a chubby hand into the air. "All rise for the awesome me," he proclaimed, his chest puffed up as he expected for the entire jungle gym to answer to his beckoning call. Piggy tails just sat there and rolled her eyes, completely unamused. Gilbert liked to refer to himself as the king of the park, but Piggy tails would always refuse his advances to make her his queen. Totally unawesome.

When Piggy tails didn't answer, Gilbert resorted to small talk. "So are you going to tell me your name?"

Piggy tails ignored him again and even went so far as to snort. She stood up and brushed off the sand from her billowy blue dress. " _Au Revoir,_ buttface," her face crinkled with a distasteful look. With one last look of loathing, Piggy tails turned around and walked over to the monkey bars. Gilbert fumed to himself. Did she just ditch him?! Did she not like him?

Regardless of the answers to these questions, Gilbert decided to follow after her anyways. _She's just shy to my awesomeness_ , he thought. _They all are at first._

When Piggy tails noticed that Gilbert had followed after her, she gave him a frustrated look. Her chubby cheeks flushed to an adorable shade of red. Gilbert felt a weird pang in his stomach. She was just so cute! She looked like an angry chipmunk _kesesesese._

Purposefully ignoring him, Piggy tails reached for the monkey bars and started swinging around. Gilbert blushed when he saw how her short little legs dangled above the ground. "Careful," he called up from the ground. What?! He was worried! A King's responsibility was to take care of their peasants (to some degree). "It's dangerous if you fall."

"Falling would be better than talking to you," she chirped.

"Oh, so she talks?" Gilbert asked, his lips pursing into an amused smile as he silently commended her for her bravery. It wasn't every day that a peasant spoke out against the playgrounds' self-proclaimed King. "Fine, I have other minions at the park to attend to." And with that, Gilbert left Piggy tails, perhaps a little more disappointed than he would have liked to admit.

Gilbert walked back to the hut under the play structure and plopped himself down with a grand sigh. Where was his partner in crime? He searched for his Spanish friend Antonio and spotted him entertaining a group of girls by the tire swing.

" _Chicas_! Who wants to play catch the bull?" a boy with wide green eyes proposed to a swarm of ogling toddlers.

"We do! We do!" the flock of toddlers shouted in excitement.

Antonio beamed, showing off one his famous toothy grins. "Alright then!" The young Spaniard took of his red shirt and handed it to one of his ecstatic fangirls.

"I'm the bull," he cried, grinning as he proceeded to charge after the squealing crowd.

Gilbert rolled his eyes when he heard girly screams echo across the other end of the park. "Piggy Tails wouldn't scream like that," he muttered to himself. Gilbert looked back to the monkey bars and saw that Piggy tails wasn't there. Bored and looking for some entertainment, Gilbert stood up and started to look for her.

After a few minutes, Gilbert started to worry. It wasn't that often that he saw Piggy tails, so being the awesome person that he was, he wanted to say goodbye. Yeah. It's not like her liked her or anything. Nein! The only thing that Gilbert liked were potatoes and his little brother Ludwig. Well he also liked eagles, but Gilbert didn't have time to think about stuff like that right now.

Just when he was about to give up, Gilbert heard girly laughter echo above him. Ludwig, Gilbert's less awesome bruder, stood at the top of the slide, his cheeks still rosy from laughter. A smiling Piggy tails stood beside Ludwig and Gilbert couldn't help but feel a little bit surprised. How could his _bruder_ make her smile like that? More importantly, why couldn't he make her do that?!

Gilbert watched as Piggy tails stretched her cheeks into a silly chipmunk face. Ludwig laughed again and attempted to make his own silly face, which from Gilbert's perspective, only made him look constipated.

 _Oh no,_ Gilbert thought. _She's mine Bruder._

Gilbert stalked over to the play structure with clenched fists. Yeah, that's right peasants. He was just that awesome. Feeling proud of his heroic stance, Gilbert tapped his brother on the shoulder and coughed loudly.

Ludwig jumped at his bruder's sudden appearance. Gilbert smiled when he saw his bruder's icy blue eyes widen with fright. " _Bruder_? He asked warily.

"Make room for the awesome me," Gilbert scolded as he shoved Ludwig to the side.

Ludwig's eyes started to water and Piggy tails ran over to him, cooing to him in a motherly way as she smoothed a hand over his back. Piggy tails turned to face Gilbert. "Why are you so mean?" she screeched.

Ludwig started to sniffle and Piggy Tails patted his soft blond hair. She leaned forward and whispered something into Ludwig's ear and both of them started to laugh. Gilbert looked to the ground, his face burning as he tried to hide his embarrassment. He couldn't figure out why they would be laughing at their king. Such insolence!

"W-what are you guys laughing at?" Gilbert stammered. His almighty ego was crumbling right before his eyes.

Piggy tails gave Gilbert a cold a glare before she raised a hand to slap him across the cheek. Gilbert held back his grimace. A King never showed signs of weakness. "Did that make you feel better?" she looked up expectantly to Ludwig, who was now cracking up with laughter.

Ludwig gave Piggy tails a grateful look. " _Ja, danke_."

" _Ma cherieeeee_ , where are you?" a man's voice called from somewhere below the slide.

Piggy tails sighed and looked to Ludwig. "Will you be here tomorrow?"

Much to Gilbert's surprise, Ludwig smiled back. He was usually so shy and reserved, but with Piggy tails he was able to laugh freely! For whatever reason, Gilbert couldn't wrap his head around this. But he figured that he'd just be proud of his bruder for now. Ludwig was making friends and maybe one day he'd have as many followers as his awesome older bruder did. Well, to be fair, Antonio was the one with all the friends, but at least Gilbert wasn't afraid to talk to people!

Ludwig averted his gaze to the ground and shuffled his feet nervously. "I think so. Opa doesn't like us being in the house all day."

Piggy tails beamed at Ludwig. "Ok! I'll ask my Papa to take me again. Bye for now." Piggy tails gave Ludwig one last grin before she pushed herself down the slide.

"Wait," Gilbert called out, immediately regretting his impulsive behaviour.

"What?" Piggy tails frowned up at him from the ground.

Gilbert didn't answer. He opted to follow her down the slide instead. He rushed down the slide and watched as a tall, blond haired man began to scold Piggy tails for getting her dress all dirty.

"But Papaaaa. I had so much fun today," she whined.

The man picked her up and raised her high into the air. "Guess, I have to shake all the dirt off of you," the man chuckled as he began to 'shake' Piggy tails clean. He flew her around the park and Piggy tails spread out her arms. "Faster Papa," she giggled. The man granted her wish as he quickened his pace.

The man then hung Piggy tails upside down. " _Mon dieu!_ It looks like we're experiencing some turbulence," he teased as he shook the last bits of sand out of his daughters shoes.

Gilbert laughed, catching the attention of both Piggy tails and the man holding onto her. A pair of skeptical blue eyes met with Gilbert's and after a brief stare down, a smirk formed on the man's face. Setting Piggy tails on the ground, the man beckoned Gilbert forward. Grumbling to herself, Piggy tails hid behind the man's legs.

Slowly, but surely, Gilbert sauntered over to the man, blushing as he tried to avoid the furious glare that Piggy tails was currently smelting him with. Gilbert looked up to the tall man and gave him a hesitant smile. It wasn't that he was scared of him or anything. Of course not!

Piggy tails poked her head from between her father's legs and glared at Gilbert. "What do you want?" she snapped.

" _Cherie_ , be nice. I'm sure that he just wants to be friends, isn't that right now?" the man gave Gilbert a warm smile.

Gilbert fidgeted with his hands nervously. " _Ja,_ I would like that."

"NON!"

"Seychelles Bonnefoy! You go over there and make friends with him this instant," the man barked back.

Piggy tails gave her Papa a defiant look. "And if I don't?" she challenged.

"I won't take you to the park tomorrow."

"But PAPA!" Piggy tails wailed.

The man ignored her protests. "You have five minutes," he scolded as he turned to leave. It was now up to Gilbert to fend for himself against Piggy tails' almighty wrath.

"So, your name's Seychelles?" Gilbert scoffed with a smug smile.

"Yeah, what about it?" Piggy tails growled, her arms crossed defiantly.

"Nothing, just wanted to know your name before the awesome me accepts your friend request."

"Last time I checked, you wanted to be my friend."

Gilbert waved his hands about and started pacing, standing tall and musing to himself as he liked to hear the sound of his own (awesome) voice. "Details, details. Now go, it looks like your father's waiting."

Piggy tails bit her lips. She scowled since she had no retort to that. "This isn't over," she glared with a look that packed enough heat to melt Gilbert into a pile of German goo. _Or mash potatoes_ , he thought absently.

Gilbert flashed his newly made friend a genuine smile. "Bye bye," he shuffled his feet awkwardly and looked to the ground. Piggy tails crossed her arms over her chest and huffed impatiently. "What is it?" Gilbert asked warily.

Piggy tails shoved Gilbert in the chest and he fell on his butt. Gilbert dug his hands into the sand, cringing as he expected for the girl to hit him again, but much to his initial surprise, she didn't. Instead, she gave him a sly grin. "If you're going to be my friend, I need to know your name silly," she teased. Piggy tails extended a chubby hand to Gilbert.

Gilbert stood up, scoffing as he refused to take her hand. "Awesome doesn't need help," he proclaimed. Piggy tails laughed and Gilbert smiled. Her laugh sounded nice.

"Alright, your choice. Oh and Mr. Awesome?"

" _Ja_?"

"You got a little sand on your bum."

Gilbert gave Piggy tails a horrified look. "Where?"

She walked over to him, motioning for him to turn around. "There," Piggy tails laughed as she gave Gilbert a good smack to the bum. Groaning, Gilbert found himself lying face first in the sand, earning himself another bout of laughter from Piggy tails. _She sounds so cute when she laughs_ , he thought. _I should make her laugh more often._

Face still pressed into the sand, Gilbert raised a chubby hand to the air. The King had finally surrendered. "You win this time," he muttered as he sat up and faced a giggling Piggy tails. "Care to continue this battle tomorrow?"

"Why I thought that you'd never ask….er"

"It's Gilbert."

Piggy tails sat next to Gilbert on the ground. "Nice to meet you, Gilbert."

"I prefer being called king, or awesome, or king awesome is even better," he rambled.

" _Cherie_ , it's time to go."

" _Oui_ Papa, I'm coming," Piggy tails stood up and gave Gilbert one glaring last look. "This is far from over," she warned.

Gilbert gave her a lopsided grin. "Are you crazy? We're just getting started."

* * *

" _Merde, Merde, Merde_ ," I muttered to myself as I made my way through the hallways. I was desperately trying to find my history lecture auditorium. I woke up late this morning and Maddie didn't even bother to wake me up. Something about her not being my Mom or what not. This would explain why I still wearing the sweats I had slept in last night. Sigh. Some first day this was.

I now found myself pushing and shoving my way through a crowd of students, earning myself quite a few glares in the process. "Cheya!" a voice called from behind me. I turned around and spotted a familiar bomber jacket. "Not now Alfred," I called over my shoulders. "I have to get to class."

"There's only one auditorium in this building. And can you slow down? We still have five minutes," he shouted back.

I stopped running. Thank god too. I was beginning to think that had I left my lungs somewhere along the way. I leaned against a wall, breathing heavily. Alfred walked up to me and placed an arm around my shoulder. "All set trooper?"

"If I say no, do I still have to go to class?" I wheezed.

Alfred gave me a surprised look. "I never pegged you for being a skipper. Anyways we're here," he pointed towards a pair of large burgundy doors. "We better find our seats quickly or else Braginski's sure to use us as one of his chew toys," he scowled. Judging by Alfred's spiteful tone, something told me that the two didn't exactly have a stable student-teacher relationship.

Alfred opened the door for me and I scurried in. An auditorium of about 200 students leered over me and a projector screen and podium lay to my left. "Hello," a childlike voice came to my left. I faced a man wearing a beige trench coat and white scarf.

Alfred placed a protective arm in front of me. "Sup Braginski," he snarled. Leave it to Alfred, the American, to protect me from a Russian 'Communist.' Ahhh, irony at its best.

The professor gave Alfred his best menacing smile. "Mr. Jones, after failing last semester's essay, I really hoped that you would have improved upon your English. Ah, well, I should have known better. Can't have high standards for Americans. They always have the lowest grades," a pair of violet eyes leered at Alfred.

"Uh-we should find some seats," I intervened. The murderous look on Alfred's face worried me.

" _Da,_ go ahead, I'd like to start anyways." The professor gave Alfred one last taunting smile before he left to go and stand beside a short Asian man at the front of the classroom. Well, to be fair, anyone would have looked short next to this guy. Braginski towered over Alfred, and Alfred was nearly six feet tall.

"Well, I'll see you later Cheya. It doesn't look like we can sit together," Alfred sighed as he pointed towards the overcrowded auditorium.

"Sure, see you later," I waved. I walked up the nearest aisle to find a seat, but all I received was a handful of judgmental glares. Fuck. I wasn't even late. "Pompous assholes," I grumbled to myself.

"M-miss Cheya? Over here," a gentle voice echoed from my right. A smiling Toris waved me over to sit in the empty seat next to him.

"Excuse me," I muttered as I shoved people out of the way, not really caring if I moved their stuff or not. "Hey Toris, how are you?" I asked eagerly. I was just glad that I had found a familiar face.

Toris fumbled with the collar of his turtle neck. "Nothing much. I'm really nervous though."

"Ah but that's normal," I proclaimed as I sat down. "I'm sure that everyone here is feeling the same way."

Toris's blue-green eyes flickered towards the front of the room. The Lithuanian's mouth parted open with fear. "He's looking at me," he hissed.

"What?"

"It's him," he spat. Toris' eyes narrowed dangerously as he held up a textbook to block his face from the view of some unseen enemy.

I lowered the textbook in Toris' hands. "What are you doing, trying to repel a demon?"

"Demon is a very good way to describe him," he growled.

"Toris, what the fuck?" I spluttered. I looked around the room but I didn't find any immediate signs of danger. Nothing looked out of place.

"It's Braginski," he snapped. "My Mother used to be his maid. H-he's a psycho, I never liked that guy."

Ok, so that's two people who hated my professor's guts... I looked down to Braginski and gulped. Toris was right. The man was staring at Toris as if he were some sort of prey. Even though we were a good six rows up from the front, Braginski's eyes leered up at us. Realizing our horrified stares, the Russian gave us a predatory grin.

The lights turned off and the short Asian man turned on the projector. He then cleared his throat in order to get everyone's attention. "Hello, everyone. Welcome to Cold War Politics, my name is Kiku Honda and I'll be your T.A for the semester. Unfortunately, our other T.A couldn't make it in this morning, but he'll be holding office hours later tonight if you have any questions about your paper. We just finished marking them, so the marks should be sent back to you sometime this afternoon."

Kiku rambled on and on about the course itself and other University guidelines for the next half hour or so. I slouched back in my chair, bored out of my mind. I pulled out my phone and started to play Candy Crush. Hey, I needed something to entertain myself with. It was only until the professor spoke up that my attention snapped back to the front.

Braginski clapped his hands loudly, causing many students to wince. "Alright, who wants to play a game?"

"What kind of game?" Alfred shouted from the other end of the room. The American's cerulean eyes gleamed as a competitive smirk twisted onto his face.

Braginski walked over to Alfred's side of the room. "It's about course content Mr. Jones. You'd have to open the textbook to know anything," he mused.

"Try me old man," Alfred shouted back.

"Alright then. What did Winston Churchill stress in his iron curtain speech?"

"Something about how Commie bastards were tearing up Central and Eastern Europe with their sick and twisted schemes."

"Wrong," Braginski sang, turning to Kiku. "Isn't that right Mr. Honda?"

Kiku fidgeted with his hands, seemingly uncomfortable with being put on the spot. "Sorry, Mr. Braginski. I wouldn't say that he's completely wrong. How about we choose another person from the audience to elaborate on Mr. Jones' answer?" he suggested.

Braginski, disappointed in his underling's answer, let out an irritated sigh. "Fine. But I'm picking seat numbers from the audience," he mumbled in a voice that no longer contained any of its usual childlike friendliness. The Russian stalked over to the desk behind the projector and opened up a map of the room on the screen. "Look at the number on the back of your seats. I expect you to be ready when I ask you a question," he warned.

I looked to Toris, who was quivering with fear. I poked one of his pale cheeks. "You'll be fine," I cooed. Toris gulped and I grabbed his hand to comfort him. The poor boy was trembling.

"H-he knows where I'm sitting," he stammered. "He's going to pick me."

"Are you good at History?"

"Y-yeah."

"Then you have nothing to worry about," I assured him, although I was quite sure myself. This 'game' that Braginski wanted to play reminded me a bit of Russian roulette. Braginski chuckled to himself. The mouse hovered over different seats, teasing everyone in the room and driving our anxieties over the edge. Everyone in the room sat in stone-cold silence.

"Ah, I found you," Braginski cooed as he clicked on a seat. "Row six, seat 62 can you please stand up?"

Toris' hands tensed in mine and I gasped out in pain. "Toris," I whispered. "You're hurting me." But Toris was too busy hyperventilating to heed any attention to me. I looked over at the back of his seat and froze. He was sitting in seat 62 and we were sitting in row six. Oh _Merde._

Braginski looked over in Toris' general direction, smiling as he enlightened him with an intimidating glare. "Seat 62, Row 6," the Russian gleefully repeated in a sing-song voice.

I gave Toris a gentle nudge to the ribcage. "Say something," I urged.

Tears swam at the corners of Toris' eyes. "I can't," he whined. Scared out of his mind, Toris' hands gripped onto the handles of his seat, whimpering as he watched Braginski stalk towards us.

Braginski began to walk up the aisle, his violet eyes unwavering as they pierced straight through Toris' fear with a ruthless vigor. "1, 2, 3, 4," Braginski counted the rows with delight. His feet pounded against the ground with every step he took. "Where are youuuu~?"

"H-here," a weak-kneed Toris stood up.

"Ah, Mr. Laurinaitis! What a surprise to see you here~!" Braginski called back. The Russian's eyes grazed over Toris' trembling body frame, taking pleasure in the fact that he was making his student squirm under the pressure.

"Tell me now, what year did Lithuania gain its independence from the Soviet Union?" he asked.

So much for elaborating on Alfred's answer...

Toris straightened his posture and cleared his throat. "1991 if I'm correct," he retorted in a voice that was loud enough to counter Braginski's mocking tone. Bored with Toris, Braginski turned around and trudged down the aisle. A clear look of disappointment was etched onto the Russian's face.

Toris slumped back down in his chair, his body still shaking from his confrontation with the Russian devil. "Never again," he murmured in disbelief.

"Hey you defeated him at his own game. You didn't let him bully you!" I giggled.

Toris gave me an incredulous look. "Is me almost dying of a heart attack funny to you?"

I pressed my hand to his rapidly beating chest. "Forbidden love," I concluded.

Toris didn't appreciate my joke. "My heart remains with Felicia," he scoffed.

"Threesome?" I proposed.

"I don't get you."

I sighed. "No one ever does Toris."

* * *

"WHAT A DICK!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, grumbling to myself as I buried my face into the couch cushions.

Maddie sprinted downstairs, her eyes wide as she nearly tripped over her fuzzy maple leaf slippers. "What's wrong?" she sighed. The Canadian winced. She knew that I was about to explode.

"He gave me a C," I mumbled.

"What?"

I sat up on the couch. "HE GAVE ME A C!" I shouted back.

Maddie sat down on the couch and patted my back. "Was this about the paper that you handed in?"

"Yeah," I growled.

"What did it say?"

I gave Maddie my laptop for her to read. " 'E _xcellent writing, but I disagree with you whole heartedly. I believe that Stalin was more aggressive in his initiation of the Cold War_.'

"Bullshit," I snarled. I grabbed a large handful of marshmallows from the bowl in my lap and stuffed them into my face. I know, how anticlimactic. Munching on fluffy angels, while I ranted like a demon.

"That's weird. Isn't your professor Russian?"

"Yeah, but the T.A's marked this one," I wailed.

Maddie patted my head. "Why don't you make an appointment with him then?"

I stoked my chin, revelling in Maddie's brilliant idea. "Not a bad idea at all, pancake."

"Forget it, I shouldn't have said anything."

"Why?"

"Cheya, you look like you're ready to murder the boy."

I let out a sarcastic snort. "What, little ole me?"

"Hold on a minute, I'm coming. I don't trust you enough to let you go on your own."

"Awww! You take the fun out everything," I pouted.

* * *

"You can let go of my hand now," I groaned as Maddie pulled me into the elevator.

Maddie placed two fingers around my ear, threatening to tug it if necessary. "Will you behave?"

"Yeah," I muttered. "But no promises if he…ow, ow ok."

"You're so violent," she huffed. "That guy didn't even do anything to you."

"He called my body slutastic," I snapped. A few minutes ago, some senior had decided to catcall us, thinking that it would be funny to shout out crude profanities at the top of his lungs

"That doesn't excuse the fact that you shoved him into a garbage can," Maddie snapped.

"Yeah, well it's not my fault that he got overpowered by a girl who weighs less than 100 pounds," I countered. "Besides, he's lucky that Gilbert wasn't there to hear that."

The elevator dinged and we got off at floor seven. "Fine whatever. I'll be here waiting," Maddie let out a defeated sigh and pointed towards the library.

"I won't take too long," I promised. "Five minutes with me is all that it takes to make a person crack."

Maddie gave me a sly smile. "Well, you're in for a surprise," she mused.

"What?"

"Oh you'll find out soon enough," she smiled.

"Hey," I called out, but Maddie had already left. "Crazy Canadian girl," I muttered to myself.

Alright, now to find the office. I checked my watch and it read six fifteen. I pulled out my map and sat on one of the benches lined against the window.

"Excuse me," a gentle voice prodded from my left. "Are you looking for room 734?"

I looked up to meet a smiling Kiku Honda. "Yes, how'd you know?" I asked.

Kiku's coal black eyes crinkled with warmth. "I recognize you from class."

"Oh really?"

Kiku laughed. "You were on your phone a lot," he admitted.

Heat rose to my face. "Sorry. I really am interested in History," I defended. "But rules… not so much."

Kiku bowed his head politely. "That's quite alright. Now come along, I'll show you the way to Mr. Kirkland's office." Kirkland….now why did that name seem so familiar? I pushed away that thought as I followed Kiku around the hallway. Kiku opened the door and escorted me into the small office. An empty leather chair lay near the window and stacks of papers littered the Oak-wood desk resting in the center of the room. Unorganized was my first impression as I looked to the rows of empty coffee cups plastered against the window sill.

I pulled up a chair and sat in front of the desk. "My apologies, it appears that he went for a coffee break."

"Don't worry about it… erm."

"Kiku's fine, miss…?" Kiku cleared his throat politely.

"Miss Bonnefoy, but I go by Cheya."

"Well I suggest that you get your notes out, Cheya. My friend hates it when students meet with him unprepared."

I flashed Kiku a confident smile. "Oh, I wouldn't worry Kiku. I'm more than prepared," I gave him a thumbs up to ease his worries.

"It's nice to know that at least some students are passionate about their studies," he smirked. "Well, I should get going. I have students to consult with as well."

"It was nice meeting you Mr. Honda!"

"Please, call me Kiku. I'll be right across the hallway if you need anything," the Japanese smiled as he left me to prepare for my meeting.

I pulled out my notebook and started to go over what I wanted to say. I heard a grunt behind me and turned around, only to turn around just as fast.

"Cheya?" a stunned Arthur poked me on the shoulder but I refused to budge.

"W-what are you doing here?" I snapped.

Arthur walked past me and sat behind the desk. "Well, this is my office?" he stated, his confusion making his sentence sound like a question.

I glared at Arthur. "Well it's nice to see that you're wearing a shirt for once," I pointed to his white dress shirt.

"I'm only human you know," he teased. His smug look made me want to smack that arrogant face of his.

"Stop looking at me that!" I spat.

Arthur's face flushed to an unflattering shade of red. "Listen you idiot, you're the one who requested a meeting with me," the Briton seethed as he slammed his hands onto the desk with a loud smack.

He had me there. I crossed my arms over my chest, glaring as I fumed at the 'man' sitting in front of me. "How old are you?" I interrogated.

Arthur, still angry at my last comment, didn't even look at me when he spoke. He was to busy stapling a massive stack of papers. "Last time I checked this wasn't an interview." The Briton set down the stapler with an indignant scoff.

"Alfred's right, you really are a twat," I mocked in a horrible British accent.

"Well you're far from a princess, love," he shot back. Arthur's hands hovered dangerously over the stapler.

I pushed my notebook onto the table. "Fine, I'd like to discuss my paper."

"Care to elaborate?"

"Maybe if you'd stop flapping your huge ass mouth, I'd be able to speak."

Arthur's eyebrows furrowed together and I laughed. The Briton's lips curled into a snarl. "What are you smirking at?"

"Oh nothing," I said innocently, biting my lip as I attempted to suppress my laughter. It didn't work.

The Briton was nearly on the verge of shouting. "TELL ME OR I WILL KICK YOU OUT," he growled.

"It's beautiful," I gasped.

Arthur cocked his head to side in confusion. "What?"

"I'm just admiring a beautiful reunion," I mused.

"I'll repeat myself again, what?" Arthur looked to me expectantly. His anger, however, quickly turned to annoyance.

"Tell me now, do your eyebrows always stick together when you're angry?" I was met with a furious glare but I continued on anyways. "It's like Pangea but eyebrow edition," I cackled as I raised my hand to wipe a tear from the corner of my eye.

Arthur got up and slammed the officer door shut. Ooops, maybe I took things a bit too far. "Now, I'll tell you something," he shouted. I stuttered, but the Briton held up a hand to silence me. "Who do you think you are, coming into my office and putting me down? The nerve of some of you freshman." The Briton started to pace around the room furiously.

With a sigh, I started to pack my bag. I wasn't going to get anything accomplished in this meeting. "Perhaps I should go to Kiku for help?" I suggested.

Arthur sat back down in his chair. The Briton ran a hand through his hair. "That won't be necessary," the Briton fumbled for words, bowing his head. He seemed to have calmed down. Or so I had thought.

"Really it's fine." I got up to open the door, but Arthur grabbed my hand. "Let go of me!" I cried as I tried to shake my hand free from his grip. Before I could move, Arthur pinned me up against the wall. The Briton's hands slammed against the wall, resting mere inches from my face. I glared at a pair of equally furious green eyes. "W-what the fuck are you doing?" I demanded in a shaky voice. His face was mere inches away from mine and I was beginning to get nervous.

I clenched my fists and looked to ground, refusing to give him the satisfaction of knowing how powerless I felt. After what felt like minutes of awkward silence, I looked up to meet Arthur's face. Shoulders shaking with fury, Arthur bit down on his anger. "I'm sorry. That was completely unprofessional of me," he whispered as he backed away. The Briton's face was pale and he looked unsure of himself. "Y-you should- you should leave."

"B-but my mark," I stammered.

Arthur wrenched open the door. "JUST GO!" he snapped.

* * *

OH SNAP! Hahaha ;) This was by far my favourite chapter to write.

Favourite Line of the chapter: "And what does that make you? A ray of douche bag?" Oh Maddie, so sassy! The beginnings of Prucan perhaps?

Again sorry about the mix up earlier! It's been fixed and hopefully it won't happen again. Anyways until next time, and guys I know your there. I can see the views :p


	5. Pasta La Vista Bunny!

**Pasta La Vista Bunny!:**

 **Oh boy, is this chapter ever a doosy ;)**

"Cheya, are you coming down or not?" Gilbert shouted from downstairs.

"Just give me a minute," I called back, slightly annoyed. I don't know when it happened, but all of a sudden my apartment became the hub for everyone to hang out. I pulled out my headphones and leaned back against the chair tucked into my desk.

"Five hours of homework," I mumbled in awe. Man did I ever have a killer headache.

"Little pig, little pig let me in," Gilbert teased as he pounded on my bedroom door.

"That's not very nice," I scoffed.

"I hope you're decent because I'm coming in!"

"When am I ever decent Gilbert?" I sighed as he barged into my room with a wild look on his face.

Gilbert took one look at me and facepalmed. It wasn't his fault really. I wasn't exactly what he called decent. My hair was in a messy bun, my reading glasses were skewed over my face, and I was wearing my ratty, yet beloved, lion king t-shirt. Too bad I wasn't wearing any pants.

Covering his eyes, Gilbert sat on my bed. "Can you at least put on some pants please?" he complained.

"Oh hush up, the t-shirt's big enough to cover my knees." I walked over to my dresser and pulled out a pair of jeans. "You still haven't told me why you guys are here."

Looking down to give me some privacy, Gilbert decided to fiddle with his cross necklace. "We just finished our first week of University! That calls for a celebration don't you think?"

I raised an eyebrow at Gilbert. "No booze?"

"No booze, I promise," he winked, but I couldn't help but notice the mischievous glint that lit up in his eyes.

"Fine," I sighed. "Now leave, I have to change my shirt."

Gilbert lounged on my bed and stretched. "Can't do that."

"Excuse me?"

"It's not like you have anything up there," he drawled. To emphasize his point further, Gilbert pointed a lazy finger at my *sigh* very flat chest.

"Lion king shirt it is," I proclaimed as I moved to open the door.

"Fine, fine, I'm leaving," he grumbled. Gilbert gave me one last look of longing before he reluctantly slipped out of the room. I closed the door and exhaled. At least Gilbert didn't attempt to make any moves on me just then. In fact, he seemed just like he always was: Indifferent, egotistical, and slightly perverted. Yeah, I was probably just overreacting earlier.

I slipped on a blue long-sleeved shirt, tucked it into my pants, and walked downstairs to meet my friends. Lovina and Feli were sprawled out on the living room floor, while Maddie took charge in the kitchen, making what appeared to smell like bacon. I let my nose follow me to the kitchen and a familiar sizzle in the pan proved my assumption to be correct: It was indeed bacon. "Ooooh," I squealed. I reached to pluck a piece from the pan.

Maddie slapped my hand away. "You're just like a child. Wait until everyone gets here," the Canadian tutted in a motherly voice.

"Fine," I pouted as I shuffled over to the living room. Gilbert grinned up at me from the couch. The douche thrived off my disappointment. My sour mood improved when I noticed all the goodies resting on the coffee table. Bowls of assorted chips, candy, and chocolates lay in front of me, effectively luring me into consuming their sugary goodness. I grabbed the bowl filled with Malteser's and started to munch on them happily. "Fuck, so good," I practically moaned with pleasure.

Lovina looked up from her phone. The Italian's annoyed eye roll was inevitable. "Can it with the orgasm's over there, I have to make a call."

"Chella! How are you?" I suddenly found myself trapped in one of Feli's overexcited hugs.

"I'm good Feli you?" I patted her head awkwardly.

"Sure, give her all the hugs," Gilbert mumbled bitterly.

"Ah Gilbert, if you really wanted a hug so badly," I teased.

Gilbert's face reddened. "I was just kidding."

"Too late," I cried as I tackled Gilbert with a hug, accidentally kneeing him in the crotch.

"Mother fucker," he hissed. I laughed and placed my lips next to his ear. "Language Gilly Willy."

Gilbert pushed me off the couch and I fell onto the ground with an ungraceful smack. Rubbing my sore butt, I glared up at Gilbert. "I'm this close to kicking you out Beilschmidt," I growled.

Gilbert reciprocated my glare. "Believe me, there are much better things that I could be doing on a Friday night."

"By all means, go home and watch your porn. No one's stopping you," I shrugged.

Gilbert returned my insult with a headlock. "That does seem tempting, but then again, this seems much better," the German mused as his arms tightened around my neck. I struggled and gasped.

"Shhhh," he cooed. "You're so much better when you're quiet."

A cheerful looking Maddie walked into the living room carrying a plate of freshly cooked bacon. "I agree."

I gave Maddie a murderous look. "Whose side are you on?" I wailed. I puckered my lips into a pout. My roommate had just betrayed me.

Gilbert released his grip on me and I scrambled to the other side of the couch. " _Mon dieu_! To think that I had almost got infected!"

Feli's eyes widened with concern. "With what?" Oh Feli, God bless your soul for playing along with my joke.

I sunk down on the couch, breathing heavily as I grabbed Feli's hands for support. "H-he…." I stuttered as I pointed an accusatory finger towards a scowling Gilbert. Maddie rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. Feli, on the other hand, was gullible enough to take my performance seriously.

"C-hella?" Feli asked warily.

"Forget about me Feli, run while you still can," I cried.

Gilbert let out a loathsome sigh and turned to face an equally annoyed Maddie. "If you don't kill her I will."

Feli balled her hands into angry fists. "How could you say such a thing Gilbert? Look what you did to her." Feli pulled my head into her lap. "What did he do you?" she purred. I relaxed as Feli began to stroke my hair.

"H-he, rubbed his douchiness on me," I wheezed.

Lovina stalked over to the couch and loomed over me. The Italian's lips bore a furious looking scowl. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't brainwash my sorella," she spat. I rolled off the couch and with a grand moan, I latched onto Lovina's long legs. "Guess I'd rather get infected with bitchiness."

I heard Lovina exhale sharply, but luckily for me, a knock on the door protected me from further harm. Without any hesitation, I untangled myself from Lovina and got up to answer the door. I could feel Lovina's glare on me the entire time.

"It's me," Antonio's sing song voice rang from the other end of the door.

"WHAT IS HE DOING HERE?" Lovina screamed at the top of her lungs. The Italian's face was red with anger, and if I didn't know any better, perhaps even a little bit of embarrassment.

" _Sorella_! Tonio was the one who took you home after we went dancing, so you better be nice!" Feli chastised her fuming sister.

I opened the door and faced a smiling Antonio. "Sorry I'm late," he apologized. "Soccer practice ran a little later than usual." When Antonio noticed that Lovina was in the room, a massive grin formed on his face. " _Hola_ Lovi! Do you like my outfit?" He chirped, gesturing towards his maroon soccer jersey and winking as he proceeded to flex his muscles for her. Mon Dieu, he was such a dork.

Lovina crossed her arms and scowled. "It's Lovina, you stupid bastard," she mumbled. The Italian's anger quickly turned to shyness. Antonio walked over and sat next to Lovina's place on the ground. "OH! You like chocolate?" Antonio pointed towards the bowl of M&M's that was sitting in Lovina's lap. "What a coincidence, I like those too!"

Lovina gave me an incredulous look. "Did his Mom drop him when he was younger or something?" Antonio smiled at Lovina, his green eyes crinkling with laughter. "Oh Lovi! You're so funny!" Lovina's eyes flickered towards an empty glass bowl on the coffee table. It looked like she was contemplating whether or not to smash it over the Spaniard's head.

I clapped my hands together. "Ok! Now that we're all here what's the game plan tonight?" I looked to Gilbert, the ringleader of this entire gathering.

What a mistake that was.

Gilbert's red eyes sparkled with amusement. "Why don't we play dare or dare?" I leaned against the foot of the couch and bit into a licorice stick. Why was I so compliant might you ask? I've been around Gilbert for so long now that stupid idea's like this hardly even phased me anymore.

Everyone else's reactions, however, weren't so calm. Someone nudged me in the shoulder and I turned around to meet a pair of fearful violet eyes. Oh Maddie, if only you were nicer to me. "Maddie looks pretty excited," I proclaimed. I made sure that Maddie saw my smug smile of triumph.

"A-Am not," she stammered.

"How about we watch a movie?" Feli suggested.

"BOOORING," Gilbert drawled.

Antonio turned to Lovina. "What do you want to do Lovi?" Lovina ignored the Spaniard as she was too busy stuffing a truck load of chocolates into her mouth. Something told me that that was her method of coping with Antonio's flirty behaviour. Just call it a love expert's intuition.

Gilbert stood up from the couch and began to pace across the room. "Since you fuckers can't agree on anything, the awesome me will take over. Here's what we're going to do. The first person to start, which will be me of course, chooses a person to dare. They will give two dares, and the person dared has to choose between one of them. No chickening out."

I sighed, knowing that there was no point in arguing with Hitler 2.0. "Fine, we'll play your stupid game." A series of hums and hah's from the rest of the group spiralled Gilbert's plan into action. Gilbert ordered everyone to sit in a circle on the floor so that we could all face each other. I sat next to Gilbert and on the other end of me sat a more than ecstatic Antonio. The Spaniard took joy in the fact that Lovina had (grudgingly) decided to sit beside him.

Gilbert stoked his chin as his finger wavered from person to person. I was beginning to get impatient. "Just pick someone already!" I cried out in irritation.

Gilbert's fingers stopped in front of a curious looking Italian. "Ah-HAH! I've found my target," Gilbert's voice crept into a spooky whisper.

Feli ve'd in surprise. "M-me?" she hiccupped.

Gilbert flashed Feli with a predatory grin. "Yes ma'am. Alright, Option 1: Steal that Psycho's dartboard from downstairs," Gilbert's face scrunched up at the thought of Natalia. "Or Option 2: Sit on my lap." Gilbert crossed him arms and pretended to look at his watch. The German clicked his tongue with each second that passed.

Lovina just about roared with anger. "FELI ,YOU DUMB FUCK. CHOOSE OPTION ONE," She screamed as a worried looking Antonio held her back with both arms. Lovina's arms reached out to strangle Gilbert, her eyes furious in their entirety as her hands communicated the universal gesture for _YOU'RE DEAD_. Antonio was holding on his own quite well, but Lovina wasn't about to go down without a fight. She kicked and screamed, shouting out profanities in Italian that no one but her sister could even fathom to understand.

Feli gave a little cough and raised a hesitant hand into the air. "I choose option 2," she declared. Gilbert's face reddened with shock when Feli crawled over to him, plopping herself down onto his lap. Recovering from his embarrassment, Gilbert wrapped his arms around Feli possessively, snickering to himself when he heard the Italian squeak out of surprise.

"Ve~ it's my turn yes?" Feli's eyes glanced over our handmade circle and I looked down to avoid eye contact. Feli eye's flickered towards a quivering ball of blankets. "MADDIE I CHOOSE YOU!" she squealed. With a mischievous grin, Feli plucked a blanket off of the trembling Canadian's head.

"Feli, this isn't that weird ass Japanese Pokémon shit," Lovina grunted.

"Alright! Option 1: Tell us who you have a crush on. Or Option 2," Feli eyed the bacon with a disgusted expression. "Dip your bacon in maple syrup and eat it."

Maddie pulled down the hood of her sweater; she no longer had to hide. "Oh that's easy!" she exclaimed. "I dip my bacon in maple syrup all the time!" Maddie skipped towards the kitchen, humming as she grabbed a bottle of maple syrup from the counter.

Feli let out a disappointed ve. "That was too easy," she pouted.

Lovina opened her mouth to retort, but Antonio covered her mouth just in time. Green eyes widening with shock, Antonio removed his hand from Lovina's mouth. "LOVI! Did you just lick me?" he asked. Mumbling to himself, the Spaniard wiped his hand on the cuff of his shirt.

Lovina's pursed her lips into a perverted smile. "And what if I did, bastard?" Antonio responded to her challenge by tugging on one of her stray hairs. "Careful _stronzo_ , that area's sensitive," she hissed. Smoothing a hand over her ruffled hair, Lovina glared at the seemingly indifferent Spaniard.

Maddie walked back into the living room, happily chomping down on a mouthful of bacon and maple syrup. The Canadian smirked as her eyes flickered to meet my gaze. "Oh Cheya," she sang, mouth still full. "Your turn."

I straightened my shoulders and started to punch an imaginary enemy. "Bring it on pancake. I've handled worse."

Maddie sat on the couch and crossed her legs. "Fine, but I warned you. Option 1: Eat nothing but healthy food for the rest of the week," she paused to bask in my horrified expression. "Or Option 2: Dress up in a costume of our choice and walk around campus."

Well, that was a tough two dares. I never ate healthy, but to let them dress me up? But who was I kidding. I wasn't about to eat nothing but carrots and grass fed chicken for the rest of the week. I needed sugar to get around, and Maddie knew just the right strings to pull. The decision rested between the fine lines of misery or embarrassment, and honestly, I think that I'd rather go with the latter.

Gilbert gave me an incredulous look. "You're seriously not contemplating Option 2," he wailed, knowing full well that I was. Why did he care? The bastard would probably enjoy my embarrassment more than anyone else here in the room. Ah, perhaps not. I forgot about Antonio. Knowing him, he'd probably film the dare on his phone. It was, after all, good black mail material.

Amber eyes met with violet as I rose up to the Canadian's challenge. "Option two," I declared in a proud if not slightly disturbed voice.

* * *

One look in the bathroom mirror was enough for me to hurl. "Fuck no," I growled. Feli had dressed me up in tight skin coloured nylons, black six inch heels, and an equally tight red one piece bathing suit.

Maddie paced back and forth across the upstairs hallway, chuckling to herself as she poked her head in the bathroom every so often. What can I say? The Canadian enjoyed to tease me. While Feli left to go and grab the finishing touches of her 'master piece', Maddie acted as my guard dog, but knowing the way how her body shakes whenever she's scared, guard Chihuahua would have been a much more appropriate title for the timid Canadian.

Feli danced back into the bathroom, rosy cheeked and giggling as she raised an arched brow to admire her half finished project (that's me if you were wondering). In one hand she carried a bunny head band (it had fucking ears too), while the other held onto the matching fluffy white tail piece. "Put these on," she squealed.

While I fixed the head band in my hair, Feli tackled placing the tail on my… yes my butt. I exhaled sharply when Feli pricked my 'sensitive area.' Keeping it real PG thirteen guys. "Careful Feli," I winced in pain.

"Are you done?" Maddie snickered.

"Almost," Feli called back. "I just need to put on some lip gloss!" Reluctantly, I puckered my lips for Feli. "Oh! Before I forget," Feli rustled through her make bag and pulled out two hair elastics. "Wear your hair in those cute little pigtails of yours. It fits with the whole bunny ear look."

"But I already have the ears on my head," I complained. I gave Feli a pleading look, begging for mercy, but the Italian just flashed me with an airy smile. Like all of my other traitorous friends, Feli also took pleasure in my suffering. The Italian was just more subtle about it.

Maddie poked her head inside the bathroom again. "Is that a complaint I hear?"

"No your highness."

Maddie's lips curled into a satisfied smile. "Good."

"Alright! You're good to go Chella!" Feli grinned.

I didn't even make it halfway down the stairs before the laughter started. Gilbert of course, being the loudest of them all. "I know that I call you _Hase_ , but this takes that nickname to a whole other level," he chortled, laughing so hard that he sounded like a dying otter. Even Lovina looked amused. The Italian looked at the ground in order to hide her grin.

"WAIT!" Maddie shouted as she sprinted into the kitchen. "I know that I had it in here somewhere," She mumbled. "Ah-hah!" she cried out triumphantly. The Canadian pulled out a carrot from the vegetable crisper.

I grabbed the carrot from my smiling roommate and took a carnivorous bite out of it. Still laughing, Gilbert walked over and draped an arm around my shoulders. "I thought that bunnies were supposed to be gentle," he whispered.

I grabbed Gilbert by the collar of his shirt and pulled him down to eye level. "Tonight on the discovery channel watch a wild Cheya beat the crap out of a cocky albino," I threatened in a soothing voice.

Ignoring my threat completely, Gilbert's loud voice echoed throughout my apartment. "ALRIGHT TEAM! HUDDLE UP!" The German ordered. Grinning, my group of friends gathered together in a circle. It was time to come up with a plan.

"As you know," Gilbert continued. "We have a little obstacle downstairs—"

"In other words we have a psycho bitch who enjoys murdering freshman in her spare time," Lovina interrupted.

Gilbert nodded his head in approval. "Exactly, we're going to have to be very careful about how we go about this. Unless we want a grilled bunny on our hands, we have to find a way to sneak her out of the building without getting caught. We can use our phones as walkie talkies, but first lets come up with some code names."

Feli jumped up and down with excitement. "Dibs on IMPASTABLE." Everyone gave Feli a confused look, but decided to let the ditsy Italian be.

"What about you Lovi?" Antonio purred.

"I don't give a fuck, just pick something for me."

"Your choice," I laughed. "I hereby deem you as Tomato fucker."

"ANYTHING BUT THAT!"

Gilbert raised a hand, silencing Lovina mid sentence. "All rise for Tomato fucker?" Gilbert smirked as he watched everyone's hand but Lovina's lift in agreement. Lovina flashed Feli a look of betrayal, but her sister was too busy reciting her new nickname. "Alright, I'll be awesomesauce, and Antonio?" Gilbert looked to Antonio.

"El Bastardo," Lovina mumbled.

"Perfect!" Gilbert beamed. "Cheya, you'll be bunny, no arguments there. Ok, here's the plan. It's nine o clock, meaning that Natalia's out and about doing her patrol of the front lobby. Antonio and I will distract her, while you girls sneak her out. Any objections?" Gilbert looked around, but no one objected to his plan. "OK we need to exchange numbers so we can— "

"You forgot about me," Maddie growled.

Gilbert cocked his head to the side. "Sorry about that Maddie. How does Maplediva sound?"

Maddie crossed her arms and sighed. "Sounds good, eh?."

"Awesome! Does our mascot have any last words?"

"Let's just get this over with," I mumbled.

* * *

 **(Group Chat: Operation Bunny in the Hole)**

Awesomesauce: All clear for now. Hop in the elevator.

Tomato Fucker: Are you sure?

El Bastardo: Loviiiii! You can trust us chica ;)

Tomato Fucker: Bullshit.

Awesomesauce: Toni's right. We can hold on our own. If you didn't already know, we're both in Police foundations.

El Bastardo: We'll be the best cops ever, huh Lovi ;)?

Impastable: Oh! So cool (:

Tomato Fucker: The streets will be even more dangerous with you fuckers around.

Maplediva: Stick to the plan guys.

Maplediva: Also I agree with tom-er Lovina. I'll stay and watch by the window, we can never be too cautious.

Bunny: By all means take your time; less embarrassment for me.

Awesomesauce: You have a window of ten minutes max. Get a move on.

Impastable: Roger Mr. Awesomesauce!

Tomato Fucker: If we get caught it's every man for himself.

Awesomesauce: Of course! I wouldn't have it any other way ;)

* * *

Lovina sighed impatiently. This must have been the fifth time that she had jabbed the elevator button. Feli's silly behavior didn't exactly help with Lovina's foul mood either. The nicer Italian spent her time humming along to James Bond songs, whereas Lovina and I were tense with apprehension. Our eyes scanned over every corner of the dorm hallway. We could never be too cautious.

"Feli, was it really necessary for you to wear that?" I grumbled. Feli smirked when I gestured towards her over sized trench coat.

Feli giggled at my comment and began to hum louder. "DunanananananaanaNANANANANAdundundun." Feli pulled out a toy gun from her pocket and pointed it at my head. "Pasta la vista….bunny," The Italian clicked the toy furiously, her lips pressed together in concentration as she imitated shooting sounds. (Lovina was right; the girl really was a bit of an airhead.)

The elevator door opened and Lovina peered in, making sure that no one was there. "All clear," the Italian whispered as she shoved me into the corner of the elevator. Feli and Lovina moved to stand in front of me; a precaution that we deemed necessary just in case any else stepped into the elevator.

I tapped Lovina on the shoulder. "You seem pretty calm about this," I remarked. Before Lovina could answer, my phone started to ring.

"Hello? Gilbert?"

"FUCK, FUCK, FUCK! She's heading up," he shouted into the phone.

Lovina snatched the phone out of my hands. "What was that Potato bastard?" she growled into the phone.

"Look, she's heading upstairs. Don't tell me how, but she knows that something's up. The psycho must have a sixth sense or something," he panted. "Are you guys in the elevator?"

"OF COURSE WE ARE DIPSHIT!"

Gilbert didn't have time to fight. "Listen she's going up and you're going down. Get off when you can. There's only one fucking elevator." It was too late. We had already pressed the ground floor button.

"EASY FOR YOU TO SAY!" Lovina screeched. Lovina began to pace around the small elevator space, her feet practically twitching in her combat boots. The Italian itched to kick something. Rather than kicking the walls, however, Lovina took a deep breathe and hung up the phone.

"Er, Lovina?" I spoke slowly. "We're on floor three. We don't have much time."

"I KNOW THAT!"

"Calm down sorella- "

"HOW THE FUCK CAN I CALM DOWN WHEN WE'RE ABOUT TO GET CAUGHT. LIKE WHAT THE FUCK ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DO? HIDE HER IN YOUR COAT?" Lovina paused, her hazel eyes widening with surprise as the capability of her sarcastic suggestion dawned on her. Lovina grabbed my arm and cocked her head in Feli's direction. "Get in the coat," she ordered.

"But…." I protested.

"I SAID NOW WINE BITCH." The elevator dinged, signalling that we had just passed the second floor. I grimaced. Stupid as it may be, this was my only option. Feli opened her jacket and I scurried in. Lovina zipped up the jacket and gave us a nervous smile. Trapped and struggling to bring my head above the coat's collar, I shed Lovina with a reassuring wink. "If anyone asks, we're cosplaying. Oh, and take my bunny ears; you need a costume." I gave Lovina a pleading look. Now was not the time to be stubborn, and lord knows how stubborn that girl could be sometimes.

Lovina raised her eyebrows and sighed. "Fine," the Italian mumbled as she grudgingly placed the bunny headband in her hair.

 _DING._

The elevator doors opened and an angry looking Natalia bearing an intimidating black leather jacket stepped into the elevator. Trying to act casual, Feli and I shuffled out into the lobby, silently beckoning for Lovina to follow as we slowly nudged forward. Gilbert and Antonio sat outside on the benches, their fists pounding in the air as they cheered us on. The idiots had actually engaged in a victory dance of sorts.

We were about half way through the lobby when a piercing voice cut through our deceptive tirade. "What are you doing?"

Feli and I slowly turned around to face a poker faced Natalia. Oh Crap. The Belarusian was onto us. "W-we have a cosplay meeting tonight," I stammered.

"Why is she wearing bunny ears then?" Natalia pointed a nail file towards a stone-faced Lovina. Well it was either that, or she was shitting her pants. Besides anger, Lovina was pretty good at hiding her emotions.

"It's an anime convention," Feli piped in. "We can dress as whoever we want." Poor Feli trembled when she spoke.

Natalia raised a pale eyebrow and looked us over once more. "Just be back before curfew," she sighed. With a flip of her long blond hair, Natalia clacked towards the elevator again. "Weirdos" she mumbled.

After the elevator doors had closed and we were sure that Natalia was gone, Feli zipped open her jacket. I reveled in my freedom. Faster than I had ever run before, I sprinted out of the dorm building. Gilbert and Antonio cheered for us we made our way outside, but those cheers quickly turned to looks of pure terror. I understood why when I turned around to see a beyond fuming Lovina.

"YOU BASTARDS!" With each word Lovina stomped her boots against the ground. "Some distraction that was. You left us for dead in there," she hissed.

Antonio bowed his head in shame. "I'm sorry Lovi, I failed you."

 _SLAP._

"DAMN RIGHT YOU DID!"

Antonio touched his cheek in awe, surprised (when he really shouldn't be) that Lovina had slapped him. "Easy _Chica._ I feel pain you know."

"Good," she growled.

The Spaniard's eyes lit up with smug amusement. ""If only you had that passion in bed," he smirked.

 _SLAP. KICK. PUNCH. SCOWL. SMASH. SWEAR WORDS. SPANIARD's CRYING. ITALIAN's GROWLING._

Antonio now lay on the concrete, curled up in the fetal position and whimpering as he quivered under the Italian's piercing gaze. " _Lo siento._ I deserved that," he wheezed.

" _Sorella_! Stop killing our friends," Feli whined.

"You mean this is normal?!" Gilbert asked, his face getting paler by the minute as he watched Lovina take out her anger on a potted plant. Lovina's foot smashed into the pot so hard that it shattered into pieces upon impact.

My phone rang again and I saw Maddie's number. I looked up at our apartment window and saw Maddie banging on the glass. The Canadian looked frantic and her hands were gesturing crazily towards the ground. But it was already too late.

"HOLD IT" Natalia snarled. She ran out of the lobby, but luckily for us, it was too dark for her to see anything.

"RUN!" Gilbert screamed. Running as fast as my heels could take me, I sprinted towards the rose bushes and ducked. I heard Natalia's heels clack off to my left, and after a minute or so had passed, I wobbled off to my right. My friend's could fend for themselves.

* * *

"Shit, I'm lost," I grumbled to myself. Too bad Alfred wasn't here to save the day. I found myself near the arts building, hugging the walls so that I would stay out of sight. I tried calling Gilbert, Feli, Antonio, and even Lovina, but unfortunately for me, this side of the campus had horrible reception.

I clacked back and forth, my mind whirring as I weighed my options. I could always find someone and ask for help, but explaining my situation without being thought of as crazy would be rather difficult. And if I walked back out onto the main pathway someone was sure to see me. Although, thinking about it now, seeking help wasn't exactly my best option. They would just take me back to my dorm, and the thought of me becoming Natalia's new dart board was terrifying to say the least. It was like handing a sheep to a very hungry lion; ergo, I was fucked over in all ways possible.

"Hello?" a voice rang from the other end of the alley way.

" _Merde_ ," I hissed. A man in jogging clothes walked up to me. The shadows merged in the darkness, so all that I was able to see was a blobbed figure. "There you are," the man cried as I watched him jog over. Walking into to the light, I recognized a familiar pair of green eyes and messy blond hair. Fuck, it was Arthur. I am so not dealing with this right now.

 _Nope. Nope. Fuck to the no. Infinite amounts of no. Fifty shades of no. Wait, what the fuck?_

I turned around without a glance and started to walk off in the opposite direction.

"Wait," he called, but I kept walking.

"Cheya, is that you?" he asked. When I froze, I heard him chuckle. "What in God's name are you wearing love?"

Knowing that there was no way around this, I faced a laughing Arthur. "Iwasdaredtodoit," I mumbled, my face blushing when I saw his eyes glance over my figure. _What. A. Fucking. Pervert._

"Are you drunk?"

"NO!"

"Then why?" Arthur walked over and placed a thumb on my chin. I was too flustered to question this.

"I-I don't get why you're talking to me. I thought that you hated me?" I looked down at my shoes.

Arthur's grip on my chin tightened slightly. The Briton's body tensed in response to my question. "I don't hate you, I-I just have a terrible temper...Did you get your paper back?" he whispered gently.

"Yeah, you gave me an A."

Arthur shook his head. "You can thank Kiku for that. I handed it over to him."

An awkward silence fell between us. "Well, I should get going now," I turned to walk away again, but Arthur grabbed my elbow. "Gaul is that way," the Briton pointed a finger in the direction that he had originally came from.

I shook off his hand and changed directions. "I wanted to get some exercise, that's all," I huffed.

"Let me take you there," he offered.

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"Not like this," I wailed. I then proceeded to stamp my feet against the ground like a child.

Arthur looked to me with shock. "Sweetheart are you ok?" Normally, I would punch the guy for calling me that, but right now I was too tired to care.

"My friends dared me to dress up like this, Natalia caught us, and now I can't go back because I ran away from her. I lied and said that I was cosplaying. I'm lost. I'm tired. I'm cold. And quite frankly, I'm fucking hungry," I ranted, breathing heavily as I finished with my explanation.

Arthur gave me a sympathetic look. "One minute," he smiled as he started to rummage through his back pack. Wow, the guy actually looked pretty nice when he did that. You know, not like a total asshole or anything.

Arthur pulled out a black v neck sweater. "Here, pull this on. I'm sure it'll look like a dress on you because ah," the Briton fumbled with his words, knowing that if he called me short, his pale ass would be hanging out of a garbage can faster than he could say Earl Grey.

I held up my cellphone and raised it to the sky. "Thanks, but I'm fine. I just need to get some reception and I'll call my friends. They're the ones who got me into this mess in the first place."

"No, I insist. Besides, knowing some of those seniors, one look at you and they'll be all over you." Arthur shuffled his feet nervously as he waited for my answer.

"Fine," I sighed as I raised my arms. Don't judge me. I was tired and putting on a shirt required way too much effort.

"I'm not your servant," he grumbled.

"Aww! But you have the accent for it," I pouted. Arthur glared at me, but that didn't stop him from placing his sweater over my head. He was right, the shirt fell half way down my thighs. My hands came short of the cuffs, making them the perfect weapon for me to use. I started to swing them about, swishing them in the air as I made goofy light saber sounds.

Arthur rolled his eyes. "Are you coming?" he motioned for me to follow him. I ran over to Arthur and slapped him in the face with a loose sleeve. Arthur's eyebrows furrowed with annoyance. "What the fuck was that for?" he growled.

"I don't know."

"Come on slut bunny, we've got a long way to go," he ordered in a snappy voice. "Fuck you," I mumbled.

Arthur flicked me in the forehead before he wrapped his arm around my shoulders again. "It wouldn't hurt for you to use the Queen's English," he retorted.

"Fuck you thrice."

Arthur laughed at my comment. "Not exactly what I was going for, but I'll take it."

"Arthur."

"What?"

"Why are your arms around me?" I asked. What?! I was curious. Not that I minded the company or—yes, yes I minded. But I was warm- stop.

"Simple, no boys will go after you if I do this," he breathed into my ear, making me shiver. Well, I guess that answer made sense… well kind of.

"On guard British pansy boy," I cried. With a devious grin, I slapped Arthur with my sleeve again.

"For fuck's sake stop that," he tutted half-heartedly. When I pouted the Briton's lips curled into an amused grin. "Come on let's go."

* * *

Luck was on my side as Arthur and I made it back safely to my apartment. I couldn't help but worry about my friends though. Natalia was still outside staking them out, and it'd be a miracle in itself if there weren't any casualties by the end of the night. I opened the door and ran over to the couch. "Home at last," I sighed, sitting down to take a breath.

I looked around. Maddie wasn't anywhere to be seen. She must have went out to help.

Arthur's cough interrupted my train of thought. "Oh! Sorry your shirt," I apologized. I took off the shirt and handed it back to Arthur. "Sell it on ebay, you'll make some money," I joked.

Arthur's face reddened. The Briton's eyes darted from place to place as he tried, unsuccessfully, to overlook my promiscuous outfit. "Oh," I squeaked. "Better change out of this." I chuckled weakly and began to walk upstairs. "Cheya?" Arthur called.

"Yeah."

"Can you come back?"

"What? Do you want to profess your undying love for me?"

"In your dreams," he scoffed. "I like my women sane."

"Any sane woman wouldn't be attracted to those eyebrows of yours."

"JUST COME HERE," he snapped. He seemed pretty serious, so I obliged.

I propped up an elbow against the door while Arthur stood on the mat outside, looking more uncomfortable than I had ever seen him before. "Spill," I demanded.

Arthur scratched his head nervously. "I'd like to apologize for earlier. Please don'tdroptheclassbecauseofme," he choked out in a rushed whisper. Poor guy. He's probably never apologized in his life.

I waved off his apology and gave him a cheeky smile. "Don't worry about it. I can be pretty stubborn too, you know."

"Oh I know."

I rolled my eyes. "Good night Arthur." Instead of leaving, Arthur took a step towards me. I backed into my apartment, unsure of what the Briton was trying to do. "Good night Arthur," I repeated.

Arthur's eyes flickered back to my face. "One last thing," he whispered. Arthur took another few steps forward. I froze when the Briton cupped my face in his hands. "Arthur?"

"Fuck it," Arthur pulled me into a kiss. I gasped and tried to push him away, but he was too strong. Giving up, I settled into the kiss, and before I knew it my arms were wrapped around his neck, my lips attacking back just as furiously. Arthur's hands moved to my waist and he began to peck my neck with a series of kisses, growling as his teeth grazed over my collar bone.

He carried me over to the couch and threw himself on top of me. I didn't want to admit it, but goddammit, was he ever good kisser. His breath tickled my ears and I shuddered when his hands started to make their way up my shirt, teasing me as he slowly inched his fingers towards the back of my bra. I felt him bite my lip, his tongue asking for entrance, and just when I was about to comply, Arthur pulled back.

Arthur scrambled off the couch, his green eyes wide with horror as he stumbled backwards. "Cheya, I'm so sorry," he continued to back away. "Please forgive me," he whispered.

I reached out to stop the flustered Briton, but I missed. He was already halfway to the door. "It's OK?" Even I sounded unsure of myself. My breathing was still heavy from our kissing.

"IT'S NOT OK," he raged. "FUCK" he cursed. Arthur's fingers hovered over his lips, seemingly still in shock over what had just happened. Hands clenched into fists and cursing like a madman, Arthur ran out my front door.

"Arthur wait!" I cried, but he was already gone.

"Mon, Dieu. What did I just get myself into?"

* * *

HAHAHAHAHAHA I'm evil right? Btw I want to thank someone for making a guest review. For some reason it says I have two reviews, but when I click on it, I can't see it.

Natalia: NO COSPLAYING IN MY LOBBY! (haha I'm sorry I just had to) I hope someone understood this reference otherwise my entire childhood experience would be broken.

Thanks again! I really appreciate it. DO a gal a favor and write more reviews, let me know what you think.

Until next time kiddies (:


	6. The Classroom Blitz

**The Classroom Blitz:**

I sat on the couch, shoving the spare handful of my chips into my mouth every so often. It was exactly a day since Arthur kissed me and eating food was my most convenient coping method. To be honest, I still don't know how I feel about it. I mean, Arthur was pretty attractive, but then again he did have massive eyebrows and a horrible temper.

Would Arthur get mad if I told anyone? Probably. I could always talk to Maddie. Oh wait no. She's Arthur's cousin. And unless I wanted Arthur's death on my hands, I couldn't tell Gilbert either. Hmmm… maybe Antonio? No never mind, he'd just tell Gilbert anyways.

And then there was the whole age thing. He never told me how old he was and going on the fact that he was a T.A, Arthur could easily be four to five years older than me. What would Papa say when he found out? Do I even want him to find out? _Merde_ , was this ever confusing.

I opened my laptop and decided to make an appointment with Arthur; it just had to be done. I couldn't avoid Arthur for the rest of the semester. There was also the fact that I've bumped into him twice now, so chances are that it'll happen again. On the bright side, my friends made it home alive last night. Don't ask me how, but they did. The only casualty suffered was a small dent in Antonio's rib-cage courtesy of Lovina's foot.

"Ok enough, you've been sitting on that couch all afternoon moaning like a sugar deprived zombie," Maddie scolded. Well, she wasn't wrong. I finished the last of my pop tarts earlier this morning.

"Hnnnngh" I moaned in protest. I turned my attention back to my laptop and opened up my tumblr account. Anything to distract me from this nightmare of a situation.

Maddie sat down on the couch and sighed. "Don't you have any work to do?"

I grabbed another handful of Cheetos. "No," I mumbled.

Maddie plucked the bag of chips from my hand. "Is something wrong?" the Canadian's voice lowered with concern.

I reached out for the chips bag. "Hey," I protested.

"Cheya, you know that you can tell me anything."

"I know."

"So are you going to tell me what's wrong?"

I shut my laptop and gave Maddie a timid smile. "I want to see if I can sort things out for myself. If not, you'll be the first person that I come to."

Maddie let out a defeated sigh. "Alright," she whispered.

 _I'm so sorry Maddie. If he wasn't your cousin, I'd tell you. I promise._

I got up from the couch and grabbed my backpack. "You know, come to think of it, I do have a couple of readings to do. I should be back before seven."

"Ok," she mumbled. Oh, Merde. I really hurt her feelings by not telling her anything. I placed a hand on Maddie's shoulder. "What time does the hockey game start?"

Maddie's violet eyes looked up to me with surprise. "Seven thirty, why?" she asked warily. I had never taken up an interest in sports, but hey, if it made my roommate happy, then sitting through a game with her was the least that I could do.

"Perfect," I beamed. "I'll pick up some snacks when I'm done at the library." I turned to walk out the door.

"Hey Cheya?"

"Yeah?"

"You're still in your pajamas."

"Woops! Better change first, huh?"

"Yeah," she giggled. "Good idea."

* * *

I decided to play it safe by wearing a simple pair of denim skinny jeans and a purple spaghetti strap. I wasn't sure if Natalia had gotten a glimpse of my outfit last night, and I didn't want to test my luck by wearing another raunchy outfit. I now found myself jogging over to the library, my eyes glancing over my shoulder every so often, paranoid and on edge as I prayed not to run into a certain Briton. I didn't know how to cope with what had happened last night and knowing how high my emotions were running right now, a confrontation with him would only escalate these feelings.

My phone started to ring. I pulled out my phone from my back jean pocket. "Hello?"

"Cheya!" Bella's loud voice screeched from the other end.

"Bella! Just the person that I needed to hear," I beamed. "Hold on, I'm walking into the library right now. Are you able to video chat?" I asked.

"Yeah sure!" She chirped eagerly.

"Kay, just give me a minute."

I walked into the library and climbed up the stairs. I eventually settled on a table hidden behind a large oak bookcase.

I pressed the phone to my ear again. "Want to do this on skype?" I suggested.

"Sure hun, I'm going to hang up now." I smiled. I was going to tell Bella everything. If anyone knew what to do when it came to boys, it was Bella, even though most of her knowledge came from sappy romance movies. Regardless, she's helped me through some tough times and right now I needed her more than ever.

I opened my laptop and logged onto skype. A window opened up and a green faced Bella stared back at me. "Ack," I jumped back in surprise. I calmed down when I realized that the Belgian was only wearing a face mask. Don't ask me why people put avocado's or whatever else kitchen ingredients on their face. That's a whole other world that I'll never fathom to understand.

Bella clapped her hands together in excitement. "Oh! You're wearing your hair down. It's looks so pretty," she gushed.

"And I see that you're sporting the all luscious avocado," I joked.

"Watch it Bonnefoy," she growled. "I may be three hours away, but that won't stop me from kicking your ass during Christmas break."

"That's true," I mused. "How's Trenton?"

"Boring as fuck. But guess what?"

"What?"

The Belgian gave me a huge grin. "My parents are letting me transfer next semester."

"No way!" I shouted, immediately cupping my hands over my mouth when someone shushed me. "Where are you staying?"

"I found an apartment five minutes away from the campus. Well enough about me, what's up with you?" she asked. Bella's green eyes began to scan me over and her nose scrunched up with concentration. Translation: She knew that something was wrong. "Oh no, what happened?"

"N-nothing," I stammered.

 _Oh no, making out with a T.A and having doubts about whether or not your other best friend has a crush on you is just your typical walk in the ball park._

Bella brought her face closer to the webcam, scoffing as she furrowed her brows into a mean looking poker face. "You're biting your lip," she remarked.

"So?"

Bella let out a sarcastic snort. "You only bite your lips when something's bothering you."

"Oh." I was a fool to think that I'd be able to outsmart Bella. She may look like your typical Barbie doll, but the girl was far from stupid. I slumped my shoulders in defeat. "Fine, but promise me that you won't freak out when I tell you, Kay?"

Bella pursed her lips and nodded. "I'll listen, but I'm not making any promises," she tutted.

And so I began to tell Bella about, well, everything. I recapped my experiences with Gilbert. I explained how I wound up in a bunny suit (Bella had to coax me into telling her that part of the story; I was just too embarrassed). And after a few minutes of wild hand gestures and a profuse amount of blushing on my part, I finally got to the part about Arthur. "H-he just kissed me out nowhere Bella. I don't know what to do," I wailed.

I started to pick at my nails nervously as I waited for my friend to give her input. Instead, a stone faced Grinch stared back at me, her face emotionless and cold. "Ah-HA! I got you good, didn't I?" the Belgian cackled as she wiped a fake tear from the corner of her eye. "You need to lighten up Cheya, it's not that bad I promise. You should have seen your face though," she smiled before giving me a serious look. "I can honestly say that I saw the whole thing with you and Gilbert coming from a mile away. Antonio and I have suspected it for a long time now—"

I had to refrain myself from shutting the laptop on Bella's face. THEN WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME?!" I snapped. Someone shushed me again, but at this point I didn't care.

"Hey, we weren't a 100% sure. Gilbert is very private when it comes to his feelings, so we thought that we'd let you guys figure it out for yourselves." Bella ignored my murderous glare and shrugged. "As for Arthur," she continued, her green eyes widening with delight. "Can I be the God mother of your children?"

"NO!"

"Awww, why not?!"

"Because I don't know how I feel about him. One minute he's gentle and cocky and the next minute he turns into a total asshole. It's like I'm dealing with two different people. It's so damned confusing!" I slammed my head onto the table and took a deep breath. "Bella," I whispered. "I might actually like the fool."

"Fuck, you're serious," she gasped.

I was too worn out to give a sarcastic reply. "That's what I've been trying to tell you this entire time," I whined.

Bella narrowed her eyes. "You need to talk to him Cheya."

"I can't."

"You can and you will. Nothing's going to get resolved if you continue to avoid him. It's a small school too... how many students was it again?"

I sighed; I knew already knew where the Belgian was going with this. "About 4000."

"And what are the chances that the two of you are going to run into each other again?"

"It's already happened twice in one week."

Bella smiled. The Belgian prided herself on her impressive deductive skills. "Exactly. You're bound to see him one way or the other and the longer that you wait, the more awkward that it's going to get. As for Gilbert, I'd just wait it out. Don't feel pressured to give in either. He's your friend, and it's your choice if you decide to keep it at that. Now, I'll ask you again; when's the soonest that you can see Arthur?"

I pulled out my course schedule from my backpack. "The T.A's run the discussion group for our class on Monday, so Monday," I choked out.

Bella seemed to be satisfied with this answer. "Perfect. That gives you just enough time to prepare yourself."

"I guess so, but what should I do? Go up to him after class?"

"Yup," Bella flashed me with a suspiciously massive grin. "And then you profess your undying love for him...oh wait. Would that be before or after you fuck him over his desk..." The Belgian paused, looking as if she was considering the answer to a profound philosophical question. "Or maybe you could do it in his office," she mused. I nearly facepalmed.

"BELLA," I hissed. "I'm in the library right now." I looked around and sighed out of relief, thankful that no one had heard my friend's shamelessly perverted outburst.

Bella waggled a scolding finger at me. "Naughty girl! You didn't even object to my suggestion." The Belgian winked at me and made a gesture that I'm not even going to describe to you. No I'm serious. You don't want to know. Ok fine: ************** There are you happy now?

"Are you sure that you can't stay at Trenton? I've got enough lunatics to deal with right now as it is." I groaned. Bella's chest puffed up in mock anger.

"Miss Bonnefoy! Never have I felt so betrayed in my life. Our friendship ends here, you-you bitch!"

I rolled my eyes. "I think that I'll get over it."

"Fine," she snapped. "But one last thing." Bella beckoned for me to move closer to the screen. For whatever reason, I complied. "Was he a good kisser?"

"What?"

"You know, was he good at thrusting his tongue down your throat? Face battling, lip throttling, —"

 _Mon Dieu. If only her Mom knew that she talked like this._

I raised my hands to silence her. "ENOUGH!" I cried before bringing my voice into a low whisper. "And yes, yes he was," I grinned when I heard Bella's high pitched squeal.

"I knew it!"

I checked the time and when I saw how late it was, I began to pack my bag. " _Merde._ I should get going. I'll keep you posted on anything that happens, alright?"

Bella jabbed a perfectly manicured finger at the webcam. "You better," she warned.

"Bye Bella," I giggled.

"Bye Mrs. Arthur."

"What did you just- Oh, she's gone," I mumbled.

I got up and tucked in my chair. "What in God's name were you talking about?" an elderly woman with bobbed hair and red-rimmed glasses peaked her head from around the bookcase. I'm guessing that she was the librarian.

"Oh you know" I shrugged with an innocent smile. "Typical girl stuff."

* * *

Alright, game day. Well, not really. Currently, I walking over to the building that my discussion group was held in, but that's besides the point. Today was the day that I would confront Arthur. I had it all mapped out in my head. After class I was going to stay and whether he liked it or not, Arthur was going to give me some answers. Because Lord knows how many questions that I had for him. With a shaky breath, I entered the History building.

I climbed the stairs leading up to the third floor. Not long after, I recognized a familiar tuft of blond hair sticking up from a study table. "Hey, Alfred!" I called and waved at the American boy.

Alfred turned around and grimaced. One hand was holding an ice pack to his left eye while the other clutched onto a jumbo sized milkshake. "Hey, Kiddo," he beamed, although he wasn't fooling me. "Heading over to the discussion group?"

I ran over to Alfred and gently removed the ice pack from his face. I cringed when I saw the American's nastily bruised black eye. "Oh my God Alfred! What happened?"

Alfred gave me a weak smile and without saying anything, he went back to slurping his milkshake. "It was Natalia wasn't it," I pried, knowing full well that it was.

Alfred's shoulders slumped with defeat. "Yeah. She let me play darts with her and I kinda...er-I broke her dartboard."

"How do you break a dartboard?" I deadpanned.

"It wasn't my fault!" he snorted. "The thing was pretty well made out of Styrofoam." Alfred held out his palms and inspected his massive hands. To prove his point, the American held them up for me to see. "I supposed that the Hero's too strong for such mundane things," he grinned.

"Anyone sane enough to deal with Natalia needs to be strong," I remarked.

Alfred's blue eyes narrowed. "She's nicer than you think," he scolded. "Once you dig down under her tough exterior, I see nothing but a beautiful woman in need of a friend." I'll admit it. That comment surprised me quite a bit.

I gave Alfred a reassuring smile. "If you see that by all means keep chasing after her. It may take a while, but she's bound to warm up to you at some point or the other."

Alfred tossed his empty McDonald's bag into the garbage. Slinging his backpack over one shoulder, the American stood up and held out his hand for me. I took his hand. "I've already waited one year," he mused. "I'm not about to give up now."

"See? That's the spirit! Now come on, we've got a class to go to."

Alfred and I headed towards the classroom and just to be safe, I walked behind him. No matter how many times that I tried to convince myself otherwise, I still wasn't ready to talk to Arthur.

* * *

When we reached the classroom, Alfred held the door open for me. "Ladies first."

"Thank you," I mumbled in a numb whisper.

I peered around the door, wary as I searched for any sight of Arthur. When my search came up empty, I let out a relieved sigh and walked into the room, ignoring the weird look that Alfred gave me. A small circular classroom containing fifteen or so desks stood in front of us. At the front stood a rickety old wooden desk and if the clusters of stacked papers around the room didn't clue me in to Arthur's presence, then the overflowing pile of empty coffee cups in the garbage can did.

Alfred patted me on the back. "Looks like we're early. Where do you want to sit?" he asked. But I had already made my way to the back of the room. Call me a coward all you want, but I wanted to maintain a two desk radius between me and Arthur at all times. Well… at least for the class portion of this confrontation anyways.

"The back it is," he declared.

I trudged over to the back and pulled up a chair next to a brown haired boy, who at the moment, was nose deep into his textbook. I guess that the sound my chair made must have startled him because his head snapped up from his desk. A pair of blue-green eyes widened with fright. "Oh it's just you, Cheya," Toris let out a relieved sigh. The Lithuanian gave me a curt smile.

"HEY TORIS," Alfred's loud voice echoed across the classroom painfully. "HOW'S YOUR MOM DOING?"

Toris leaned over his desk so that he could smile at Alfred. "She's good, thank you."

"ALFRED YOU GIT, YOU DON'T HAVE TO YELL." Arthur stomped into the classroom. Typical Arthur. The class hadn't even started yet and his massive eyebrows were already furrowed into its residual scowl.

I glanced up at Arthur, but the only thing that I received was a cold glare. Arthur's eyes quickly flickered back to Alfred as he slammed another stack of papers onto his desk. "Now, I hope that you all did your assigned reading," Arthur paused so that he could aim another glare at Alfred. "As I will be asking questions throughout the entire class."

Alfred, on the other hand, was too busy laughing at Arthur to listen. "Nice outfit cuz," Alfred chuckled as he pointed towards Arthur's white, but very much wrinkled dress shirt.

The Briton's cheeks flushed slightly. Alfred beamed at his cousin's evident flustering. Arthur smoothed his hands over his shirt. "At least I don't wear that horrendous bomber jacket all the time," he countered.

Alfred leaned back into his chair, and with a cocky grin, he gleefully continued to poke at Arthur's festering temper. "Artie dear," he mocked in a womanly voice. "Stop talking to your fairy friends. The neighbors think that you're crazy."

Alfred crossed his arms and began to count to ten with his fingers. The American's blue eyes bore into Arthur, his shoulders tense with anticipation. What Arthur did next, however, surprised me a little. Instead of retaliating, Arthur choose to ignore his cousin's teasing. As of now, the Briton was fumbling to get the projector to work.

Alfred slumped back in his chair. "Well that was anticlimactic," he pouted.

"You shouldn't tease him," I scolded. "He could be the one marking your papers."

Alfred blinked at me a few times. "I thought that you hated the guy?" he asked.

I looked down to hide my blush."Hate's a strong word," I mumbled. From the corner of my eye, I saw Arthur leaning over his desk, his head cocked sideways as he tried to eavesdrop on our conversation. "To be honest, I don't know how I feel about him."

Grinning from ear to ear, the American met the watchful gaze of his cousin. Alfred shuffled his desk closer to mine. The American then cupped a hand over his mouth so that he could whisper. "Someone's got the hots for my cousin, huh?" he winked.

"NO!" My flustered expression proved otherwise.

"Oh yes you do," he cooed. Alfred humored me with another provocative wink. "Don't worry. I won't tell anyone."

I rolled my eyes. "There's nothing to tell Alfred."

"Nothing to tell about what?" Toris asked.

Before I could answer, Arthur flicked off the classroom lights. Class had started. "I'm going to put up some pictures of famous historical figures. Let's see if you know who they are."

Arthur clicked on a picture of Joseph Stalin. "Now who's this?" he asked. When no one answered, Arthur rubbed his forehead. "Surely one of you must know who it is," he muttered.

"Shall I pick someone to answer?"

Silence.

"Fine then," Arthur pulled out a piece of paper from his desk. "I'll pick from the attendance list then."

"OH I KNOW HIM!" Alfred bellowed. I rolled my eyes. Leave it to the Hero to spare someone from the pain of being put on the spot.

The Briton reluctantly shifted his gaze towards his bellowing cousin. "Yes Mr. Jones?"

"It's comrade Stalin."

"Very well, good job Al-er Mr. Jones. How about this one?"

A picture of a scowling Winston Churchill popped up on the projector screen.

Huh. These readings really did come in handy. I actually knew who these people were. But should I raise my hand? Yeah, fuck it. I rose my hand high into the air. Arthur didn't seem to notice. I let out a subtle cough. Arthur's eyes browsed over my side of the classroom, but the asshole decided to look elsewhere for an answer. Another minute passed. I was still the only person in the class with their hand raised.

Alfred also seemed to pick up on this. "Arthur, she's had her hand raised for a good few minutes now."

"I can pick the names myself, thank you very much," Arthur snapped. The Briton changed the picture on the projector screen. I bit down hard on my lip. Who did this guy think he was? Personal matters aside, I was only trying to participate.

"Alright, final picture before we move on to the speeches. Who's this?" Arthur gestured towards a picture of Che Guevera.

Silence once again.

Looking Arthur straight in the eye, I raised my hand again. I glared at him and even went so far as to tap my fingers against my desk. I was getting impatient. But Arthur was never going to let me win that easily. The Briton reciprocated my glare as he paced around the front of the room, waiting once again for someone else to raise their hand.

No one raised their hand.

"Come on now, this is— "

"It's Che Guevera," I shouted as I slapped my hands against my desk in frustration. My eyes taunted Arthur, provoking him into retaliating back, but the only thing that I received from the Briton was a forced smile.

"Correct Ms. Bonnefoy. Next time, however, please refrain from speaking out. It's quite impulsive don't you think?" Arthur continued to lecture me about speaking out, but I heard nothing. I looked down at my feet, my vision blurring as tears pooled in my eyes. This was not the man who joked with me. This was not the man who kissed me. The man standing in front of me was nothing more than a cold, maniacal, and insensitive bastard.

I felt sick. I felt played. And more than anything I felt angry. I contemplated leaving the class room right then and there, but I decided to stick it through. That bastard wasn't going to win. Want to be an asshole? Fine. Two can play at that game.

I stuck my chin up high and continued to glare at Arthur.

"Pssssst." I turned to face a concerned looking Alfred. "You ok, kiddo?"

For the sake of my emotional well-being, I decided not to answer. I never cry, yet here I was, sitting in the history classroom, nearly on the verge of having a mental breakdown. A single tear trickled down my cheek and I angrily swiped at it with my sleeve.

When he was sure that Arthur wasn't looking, Alfred slipped a note onto my desk.

 _Don't let Arthur get to you. I don't know what happened between the two of you, but one thing's for sure, Arthur's not the best at expressing his feelings. I'm sure that he'll come around (:_

I sighed and pulled out a pen to respond.

 _Thanks Alfred, I needed to hear that._

"Miss Bonnefoy!" Arthur's voiced snapped from my left. I looked up from my desk. Arthur was standing in front of me, looking quite annoyed. The Briton began to tap his feet against the ground impatiently.

Did my desk always have that scratch on it?

I shook my head. Focus Cheya, look up at him.

When I didn't answer, Arthur made a snorting sound. "Can someone help Miss Bonnefoy with the question that I asked her?"

Question? What Question?!

"Oh no, that won't be necessary," I lied. "I'm sure that I'll be able to come up with an answer if I hear the question again."

I heard a loud snapping sound. I traced it back to the broken pen that was firmly grasped in the Briton's hand. "IN other words, you weren't listening," he countered.

"I like to call it selective attention. I can filter out the," I stopped mid sentence as I decided to mouth the last word instead: _BULLSHIT_. The tea fucker just stood there, his face turning a shade so red that it resembled the pools of ink dripping off his left hand.

"Fine," Arthur gave me a jeering smile. "What are your thoughts on Churchill's Iron Curtain speech? This is part of next week's reading, but perhaps you can enlighten us… that is if you were eager enough to read ahead."

Wrong move douche bag. I did that reading last night.

I leaned back into my chair and curled my lips into an all dazzling smile. "Fair enough. Churchill was an egotistical bastard who loved to hear himself talk. He was selfish, stubborn, and just a downright asshole."

Whether I was talking about Arthur or Churchill, I really didn't know.

* * *

Arthur checked his watch and shut off the projector. "Well, that's it for today. I'll post the questions for the online discussion group later tonight. I'll see you all in a weeks' time." Arthur turned to the chalkboard and started to erase the chicken scratch that he called writing. Students left, but I remained in my seat. I was determined to see my plan through.

Alfred gave me one last sympathetic glance before he left, smiling as he raised a hand to usher me with a mock salute. "At ease trooper."

I gave Alfred a weak smile and went back to fumbling with my notes. My hands were shaking so badly that I couldn't even open up the rings to my binder. I started to fix my hair until I realized how ridiculous I was acting.

What happened to the strong-willed stubborn girl who didn't care what other people thought of her? And why Arthur of all people? Too bad I didn't have time to answer these questions. I had a Briton to confront.

Arthur turned to grab his bag, gasping and jumping slightly when he realized that I was still in the classroom."Bloody hell Miss Bonnefoy. The class ended five minutes ago," he mumbled. The coward couldn't even look me in the eyes.

I stood up and walked over to his desk. I glared at him the entire time. "MISS BONNEFOY," I growled. "Now that's rich," I laughed when all I wanted to do was cry.

Leaning over his desk, I grabbed Arthur by the collar of his blouse, wrinkling it further. The Briton must have been too stunned to react. "You have some explaining to do."

"About the course content?" Oh my God. He did not just go there.

"NO, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE COURSE CONTENT," I raged . I let go of Arthur's shirt and wrenched myself away from him. I was completely disgusted by the man standing in front of me.

"Well then, if you do have any questions, my office hours are—"

"Arthur," I screamed. "Are you serious right now?"

"I'm very serious—"

 _SLAP._

"Listen," I seethed. "Stop standing there like the cold emotionless bastard that you are and take some responsibility for what you did!"

Rubbing his sore cheek, Arthur stalked over to the front of the classroom. The Briton slammed the door shut. "FINE," he shouted. Arthur's green eyes finally confronted mine with a murderous glare. "I FUCKED UP. ANY BOY IN MY POSITION WOULD. WITH-WITH THAT BLOODY OUTFIT OF YOURS, WHO WOULDN'T?"

I took a few steps back when Arthur kicked over a garbage can. I just about squeaked with surprise. "It's not my fault that my friends dared me to wear that outfit," I defended. My comment was met with another cold glare.

I spun around to grab my bag from my desk. There was no point talking to Arthur anymore. It was clear that he hated me.

I didn't realize that I was crying until I saw a tear splash against my desk.

"CHEYA!"

"WHAT?!" I wailed. My chest began to shake with uncontrollable fits of sobs.

Arthur's voice took on a much softer tone. "Oh Cheya," the Briton said in a cracked whisper.

I slammed my backpack onto my desk and tried to ignore the fact that Arthur was now walking towards me. "W-where's my textbook?" I croaked _. Mon dieu,_ I sounded so weak.

'Is this it?" Arthur asked. I snatched the textbook from his hands without a second glance.

I shoved the textbook into my bag with a force that would put Lovina's angry strength to shame.

"I'm sorry," the Briton mumbled, his voice cracking once more.

When I didn't respond, Arthur grabbed my arm, his hands shaking as he pulled me to face him. "W-what are you doing?" I sniffed. When Arthur didn't answer, I smacked his hand away.

"Fine," I huffed. "I'm done." I slung my bag over my shoulder and turned my back on the Briton. "No promises about me staying in this class."

Arthur's hand reached out to grab my arm again. "WHAT?!" I span around to face a pale faced Arthur. "Y-you want to drop the class?" The glare that I gave him answered his question. Arthur looked to ground and blinked.

I crossed my arms and wiped the remaining tears off my face. Gritting my teeth, I turned to face Arthur one last time. "I'm not going to be bullied anymore. This isn't high school."

Arthur placed a hesitant hand on my cheek and I flinched. I didn't mean too, but judging by the wounded expression that he gave me, I knew that my actions had affected him far more than I had intended for them to. "Who bullied you love?" he just about whimpered.

"Well, Mr. Kirkland, considering the fact that I'm your student, that really wouldn't be any of your business, now would it?" I scoffed. I turned my back on Arthur and began to walk away.

"W-wait!" Arthur cried. I didn't listen to him.

I pushed past students in the hallway. I kept my head bowed as I tried to hide the fact that I was crying.

"MISS BONNEFOY!"

"Arthur, I think that you've done enough!" Alfred snapped.

The American stepped in front of the Briton. Alfred acted as my shield as he blocked me from my view of Arthur. Good. At least someone sought to spare me from further embarrassment. "Come on sweetheart," Alfred whispered. The American placed a consoling arm over my shoulders. I could hear Arthur's frantic footsteps fumble after us.

Alfred looked over his shoulder to glower at the Briton. "Not one move Kirkland," he barked.

"B-but!"

"ARTIE I SWEAR TO GOD THAT—" I tugged on Alfred's sleeve. "I-It's not worth it."

"THE FUCK IT IS," Alfred growled. The American was practically twitching with anger. "No one deserves to be treated like that."

Alfred used his sleeve to wipe a stray tear from my cheek. I gave him a weak smile."I know."

"I'm sorry," Arthur whispered, despite the fact that no one could hear him. "I love you too much for my own good."

* * *

AWWWW SHIT. Hey guys, I've been having a bit of a problem lately. It says I have four reviews (THANKS SO MUCH!) But when I click on them I can only see one. Weird huh?

NOTE***: A very clever reader caught a mistake for me. I talk about how much people forget about Maddie, yet here I am, the author of the story and I forgot about her last chapter. I didn't incorporate her in the bunny in the hole plan, so if you want to see I updated the chapter. It's very minuscule changes, but its there.

Anyways, next chapter you'll see a bit more of Spamano.


	7. El Conquistadumbass

**El Conquistadumbass:**

 **Maddie's POV:**

If Maddie thought that her day was tough now, boy did she have another thing coming. First, Mathias called this morning (again) and asked her out on a date. Then she found out that Cheya had eaten all the maple syrup (AGAIN). And now she had to deal with a screaming/crying roommate.

Maddie wasn't sure what happened, but all she knew was that Cheya was really upset. Typically Cheya was a girl of smiles and snarky sarcastic banter, but as for today? Oh no. Today was much, much different. After getting back from class, Cheya threw herself upstairs and started to blast music at full volume in her room, isolating herself as she refused to talk to anyone. When Maddie attempted to console her new friend, Cheya simply shrugged her off and went back to slamming god knows what in her room.

Maddie was beginning to think that she'd be forever invisible. Heck, the only person noticing her lately was Mathias. _If that's the case, maybe being invisible wouldn't be that bad,_ she thought.

 _BANG._

Looks like her roommate was back to punching the walls again.

Maddie placed her phone on the counter and began to pace around the kitchen. Not knowing what to do or how to console her bawling roommate, Maddie had decided to call Gilbert. At the moment, she was currently waiting for him to come over and assess the situation; She was just that desperate.

Maddie checked the clock on top of the oven and sighed. It was seven o'clock and Gilbert had promised her that he'd stop by after his five thirty class. The Canadian hated to admit it, but she really did need the albino's help.

 _"You're joking," a skeptical sounding Gilbert pried. "She hardly ever cries."_

 _Maddie felt like pulling her hair out. How many times did she have to get it through to his thick German skull that she was being serious? "Gilbert, I'm not lying to you and believe me, if there were other people, I'd ask them first before I ever came to you."_

 _If pissing her off was an Olympic sport, Gilbert's fat head would be keeling to the ground under the weight of all the medals he won. Sighing deeply, the Canadian_ _pinched the bridge of her nose in an attempt to calm herself down._ _"Hold on, I'm going up to her room. I think that I just heard another bang."_

 _"No, I heard that too," Gilbert exhaled. "I'll be there in twenty minutes. Also, try to slide some sweets under her door. It'll put her in a better mood."_

 _"Ok. Just get over here as fast as you can."_

Maddie decided to take Gilbert's advice. She pulled out a package of cinnamon pop tarts from the pantry and popped them into the toaster.

 _BANG._

Maddie winced when she felt the entire apartment shake.

"TAKE THAT YOU SCONE FUCKER," Maddie heard her roommate screech from upstairs.

Deciding that it was time to intervene, Maddie grabbed two pop tarts from the toaster, slapped them on a plate, and quickly ran up the stairs. It was either that or let her apartment fall to pieces as her roommate continued to take her anger out on... well everything.

With caution, Maddie approached Cheya's door, waiting until the banging had stopped before she decided to knock.

"SORRY MADDIE! I'M A LITTLE BUSY HERE," Cheya screamed, making Maddie wince again due to the intensity of her roommate's voice. If angry, Cheya was almost as loud as Alfred and that was saying a lot considering the fact that her family would regularly receive noise complaints whenever he watched his football games. To be fair, Maddie was no better whenever she watched her favourite hockey team -the Toronto Maple Leaf's- play, but that's wasn't her main concern at the moment.

Maddie stomped her foot on the ground, preparing herself for the worse as she placed a shaking hand on the door knob. Just when she was about to open the door, however, someone knocked on the door downstairs. The Canadian let out a sigh of relief. She was freed from her self-appointed suicide mission.

"Coming," she sang. Normally she wouldn't have been so relieved to see Gilbert, but desperate time's calls for desperate measures. The cost, however, would be a very smug Gilbert. The Canadian had practically begged for the albino to come over and she absolutely despised her vulnerable position in this matter. Asking for Gilbert's help was like making a deal with the devil: the chances of her plan failing far outweighed the possibility of its success. But hey, it was worth a shot.

Maddie walked down the stairs and paused at the door. "Hello?" she asked curiously. Being too cautious never hurt anyone. And what if it was Mathias at the door? She wasn't about to open the door and let that cocky Dane waltz right in and make himself all cozy in her apartment. Maddie considered herself to be a patient woman but even she, the friendly neighborhood Canadian, had a breaking point.

"Maddie?" A muffled British voice echoed from the other side of the door.

"Arthur?" Maddie placed her eye at the peep hole, her mouth gaping open as she confirmed that it was in fact, her cousin Arthur (?!).

"Yes, it's me. Can I come in?"

"Yeah, just give me a minute." Maddie opened the door and faced her distressed looking cousin. It didn't surprise her when she saw his wrinkled dress shirt, but the worn down expression he wore was not something that she was used to seeing.

"Oi, how are you?" the Briton asked. When Arthur saw the Canadian's skeptical expression he winced. He knew that he couldn't fool her; something was wrong.

"Arthur," she pried. "Why are you here?"

Arthur gave Maddie a sheepish look. "What? Can I not visit my favourite cousin?" Maddie narrowed her eyes. Before she could question him, another bang resounded throughout the apartment.

 _"FUCK YOU AND YOUR STUPID EYEBROWS."_

Arthur scratched his head nervously. "Crazy roommate?"

Maddie leaned against the door and sighed. "Yeah. But I've never seen her like this. She came home crying about an hour ago and I haven't been able to calm her down."

" _FUCK YOU AND YOUR GREEN EYES."_

"She must be really mad, huh?" Arthur remarked with a somewhat horrified awe. Maddie decided not to answer. Arthur still hadn't answered her previous question. The Canadian was beginning to get suspicious.

 _"FUCK YOU AND YOUR STUPID BRITISH ACCENT."_

All the puzzle pieces fit to together in Maddie's head. Arthur's guilty look. Cheya basically describing him in her fits of rage. Something had happened between the two of them and whatever it was it hadn't been pleasant.

Arthur discreetly started to shuffle towards the door. With a growl, Maddie latched onto the Briton's arm, halting him in place. The Briton winced at the sharpness of the Canadian's nails. "Artie dear," her voice lowered as she glowered at him. "What did you do?"

"I-I," Arthur paused. The Briton's eyebrows furrowed, silent in his entirety as he carefully contemplated his next words. "It's a long story Maddie," the Briton shrugged with an exasperated sigh.

Maddie shoved her disgruntled cousin into the apartment and slammed the door. "Go and apologize."

"Don't you think I tried?" Arthur protested.

Maddie glared at her cousin. Of all the times to be heartless, he just had to piss off her roommate. "Arthur! She's a good girl who wouldn't harm a fly ( _erm not really_ ). Now I don't know what you did or what happened, and frankly I don't care, but what I do know is that you're going to GO AND FIX IT." Maddie shoved a stammering Arthur towards the staircase. "NOW," she ordered.

 _"HEY MADDIE?"_

Maddie supressed the urge to curl up into a ball and encase herself in a cocoon of blankets. She didn't know where she was getting all this courage from, but she supposed that it was just an evolutionary instinct. Cower in fear or stand up against the danger. Or avoid it: that seemed like a better plan at the moment. In the end fear won over as Maddie decided to answer her lunatic of a roommate.

"Yes Cheya?" She called back.

The banging stopped and Arthur let out an unmanly squeak. Maddie looked upstairs and saw that her roommate had opened her bedroom door by a slight crack. A red-faced Cheya poked her head out the door. The mischievous grin on her face unnerved Maddie. Normally after someone cries they take some time for themselves, but oh no, Cheya wasn't going to settle for that; nothing or no one was going to stop this girl from having her revenge.

Maddie turned around and sighed with relief when she saw that Arthur was no longer view. The Briton was currently pressed up against the side of the kitchen cabinet. _Maybe it really isn't the best time for him to apologize_ , she thought.

Cheya stepped outside her bedroom and began to jog back and forth across the upstairs hallway. The French pretended to sucker punch imaginary enemies in the air as she spoke. "Tell me now, you took a law class in high school right?" she asked.

Maddie gulped. "Y-yeah?"

"How many years for assault with a bodily weapon?"

Maddie cleared her throat uncomfortably. "Excuse me?"

Cheya stopped to place both hands on her hips. "You heard me pancake."

"E-eh, I don't know. I'll have to look it up..." Arthur flashed Maddie a horrified look.

"Thanks anyways." With a disappointed look, Cheya slipped back into her room.

 _SLAM._

Arthur peeled himself off of the kitchen cabinet. "Bloody hell, is she really that mad?"

"I don't know Arthur, why don't you find out?" Maddie snapped. The Canadian had finally reached her breaking point. Maddie tensed as she waited for Arthur to lash out at her. But he didn't. Silent in his entirety, the Briton sourly glared at the ground.

An awkward silence filled the kitchen. Maddie walked over to Arthur, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. She knew that he probably didn't deserve it, but then again Arthur was never one to express his emotions properly. He sucked at maintaining relationships and always found it hard to sympathize with what others were feeling.

But to see Arthur so shaken up over a girl was something that Maddie had never seen before. Arthur looked visibly distraught and for once in his life, his eyes didn't hold that cocky gleam to them. To think that a girl could affect him like this was unheard of and for the second time today, Maddie was tasked with comforting the inconsolable.

"Arthur," she started in a harsh voice only to stop when she saw her cousin's wounded expression. "What happened?" she asked in a much more soothing tone.

Arthur shrugged off her hand and wiped at his eyes angrily. "I fucked up, that's what happened."

 _At least he didn't lose his stubbornness_.

Maddie crossed her arms and glared at her cousin. "If you want help I need to know."

Arthur let out a shaky breath. "Well you know how much of an ass I am." Maddie curtly nodded her head as she let her cousin continue on with his explanation. "I ran into her on the night that she was, er, wearing that bunny suit. I met her once before, and well, after walking her home, things sort of escalated. I kissed her and I-I...—" Arthur paused when his face flushed to an embarrassing shade of red. Maddie could sympathize, the boy wasn't used to sharing such personal information. Growing up with Arthur, Maddie knew that her cousin had a terrible habit of pushing people away whenever they got too close for his comfort.

Maddie spared Arthur from further embarrassment by stating the few words that he couldn't bear to say. "You fell in love with her."

Arthur bowed his head in shame. "Oh God Maddie. I've had an awful way of showing it. When I found out that she was in my history class, I tried keeping my distance, I really did, but one thing lead to another and we got into a fight. She yelled. I yelled. A-and..Fuck! Why is this so hard?" he cursed. Arthur began to rub at his eyes again.

Maddie pulled out a Kleenex from her pocket and handed it to the disgruntled Briton. "Here, it looks like you could use this."

Arthur's puffed up his chest and scoffed. "It's just allergies," he defended.

Maddie decided to let her cousin's excuse slide; the amount that she had already gotten him to admit was a miracle in itself. "Does Mr. Allergies want some advice?" she teased.

Arthur cocked his head to the side, surprised at his cousin's offer. "I don't think that I deserve such a luxury."

"Get your head out of your ass Artie. I'm doing this for Cheya too." Maddie glared at her cousin. Scowling, the Canadian grabbed the Briton by the collar of his shirt, pulling him down so that he was at eye level with her. "Now do you want my advice or not?" she growled.

"….Yes."

Maddie snapped her fingers in order to get her moping cousin's full attention. "First of all: You're not apologizing today, it's best not to overwhelm her."

"Alright. I suppose that's for the best."

"Before I continue, I'll ask you one more question: Are you prepared to date her?"

"W-what?!" Arthur spluttered.

"I know that you hardly show any emotion Arthur, but really now, you must have some idea of what dating is."

Arthur rolled his eyes and snorted. "Yes, I am quite aware of what 'dating' is."

"You didn't answer my question."

"Oh for the love of God yes!" Arthur choked out only to flinch when another bang reverberated through out the apartment.

Maddie raised a pale eyebrow at Arthur. "Even though you're a T.A?" she pried, smiling when she remembered how Cheya referred to this specific tone as her 'Mama Bear' voice. Even though she had only known Cheya for a week, Maddie wanted to spare her roommate from further pain. She was beginning to think that her brother wasn't the only one who had a hero complex hard wired into their brain.

Arthur ran a hand through his hair. Maddie picked up on this nervous habit of his. "I've fucked up so bad that I have nothing to lose. So yes, I'll just have to be careful until the semester ends and she's no longer my student.

"Perfect!" Maddie beamed. "So what would you like to know?"

"Some advice would be nice!" Arthur snapped with a huff.

"It's simple Arthur, just wait a couple days and apologize," she chirped.

"But how…..?"

Maddie sighed. Although it was fun, now was not the time to toy with Arthur. "Small things make her happy. For instance if you were to buy her pop tarts—"

"You mean those nasty sugar bricks that Alfred eats all the time?" Arthur interrupted.

"Yeah, she loves those. If you go out on any dates together don't take her anywhere fancy. She likes movies, so maybe a date at home would do. But I'm getting ahead of myself here. First, you need to man up and give her a genuine apology. She's just as stubborn as you, so listen to me when I say that it's not going to be easy."

Arthur let out a loathsome groan. "Don't you think I know that?" The Briton's mouth was set into a taut grimace.

Maddie checked her watch and gasped. She hadn't realized just how long she had been talking with Arthur. "I'll call you later and fill you in on everything else, but right now you need to leave," she urged. The Canadian decided to ignore the confused look that her cousin gave her.

"B-but?"

Maddie ushered a blubbering Arthur towards the door. "I called one of her friends and he's bound to be here any minute now."

Arthur gave her a dumbfounded look. "He?"

 _Arthur may be book smart but he sure as hell isn't people smart,_ the Canadian deadpanned.

Maddie hoped that her cousin would clue in to her emotional distress, but then again talking to Arthur was like talking to a brick wall: emotionless and dense...that is until recently of course.

"Yes, a boy Arthur," Maddie waved her hands around impatiently. "Now leave," The Canadian jabbed a finger towards the door.

Arthur had a small 'oh' moment. "Ah, I see. Wouldn't want a fight on our hands." the Briton let out a bitter, humorless chuckle.

"Call me when you sort things out….Ok Mads?" Maddie's jaw just about fell to the floor. Arthur almost never referred to people with nicknames and perhaps the most surprising proponent of it all was the fact that he had used ALFRED's nickname for her. Maddie nearly felt suffocated by her cousin's unprecedented act of sentiment. "Erm, sure thing."

After twenty three years of bottling up his emotions, Arthur Kirkland had finally succumbed to his feelings.

* * *

 **Gilbert's POV:**

All Gilbert wanted to do tonight was to have a couple beers with Antonio and then maybe head over to Cheya's for a bit afterwards. What he wasn't expecting, however, was to receive a frantic call from Cheya's timid roommate, Maddie. The Canadian wasn't subtle about her dislike for him, and Gilbert in turn, wasn't going to go out of his way to be friends with her. Not that she wasn't pretty or anything. In fact Gilbert found her dirty blonde hair and wide violet eyes to be kind of cute. And don't even get him started about those adorable nerdy glasses that she wore on her face.

Gilbert shook his head of these irrelevant thoughts as he knew that he had much more pressing matters to attend to. Cheya for whatever reason was upset and she needed his awesome shoulders to cry on. Gilbert now found himself outside of Cheya's apartment, jumping (not that he was scared or anything) whenever he heard loud bangs echo from behind the door.

Gilbert opened the door and peered inside. Nothing seemed out of place. The German's eyes then turned to face a very perturbed looking Maddie. Curled up on the couch, Maddie huddled herself in a cocoon of blankets, blasting what Gilbert recognized to be Taylor swift songs at full volume. The Canadian's shaking hands gripped onto her ipod as she rocked back and forth, mouthing and humming along to the lyrics as she tried to calm herself down. _Kesesese_. She looked like a little mouse. How cute.

Gilbert walked over to the couch with a smug grin on his face. Bending over, the German poked the shaking Canadian on the shoulder. "I thought that Cheya was the one who needed help?" he laughed. Maddie returned his comment with a cold glare as she unfurled herself from her crouched position. She then stood up, her small pale hands beckoning for Gilbert to follow her upstairs. Walking behind her, Gilbert found himself mesmerized by the soft curls that bounced with each step that the Canadian took and before he could stop himself, one of his hands reached out to grab a stray ringlet.

Maddie turned around. A pair of flustered violet eyes confronted Gilbert's flabbergasted red ones. "W-what are you doing?" the Canadian huffed as she smacked Gilbert's hand away. In all honesty, even Gilbert didn't know what he was doing.

"I-er, you had a piece of fluff," he lied. Maddie raised a brow at him, but decided not to question him further. When they reached the top of the stairs, Maddie gave him a pitiful look before she just about sprinted back down the stairs, her feet skipping over steps of three as she fled to take refuge on the living room couch.

Gilbert approached Cheya's door, his hand clenched into fists as he pounded his knuckles against the wooden door. Loud music vibrated against the bedroom walls. Thinking that his friend hadn't heard him the first time, Gilbert decided to knock on the door again, this time even going so far as to clear his throat. "CHEYA?" he bellowed.

"WHAT DO YOU WANT GILBERT?" a demonic voice on the other side of the door screeched back.

Gilbert pounded his knuckles on the door again. "OPEN UP," he ordered. Gilbert heard Cheya shuffle about in her room for some time, which was more like stomping if he truly thought about it, before she opened the door. Wearing nothing but a sports bra and pair of jean shorts, a red-faced Cheya glared back at Gilbert. The French's eyes were puffy from crying. Gilbert felt his stomach lurch in disgust. Whoever made her cry was going to pay.

Gilbert propped up an elbow against the door and smirked. "Is that K-Pop I hear?" Cheya moved to shut the door, but the albino had already anticipated this. Gilbert stuck out a lazy foot in front of the door, passively watching with drawling eyes as the French's chest puffed up with anger. "Move Gilbert," she growled, her amber eyes burning into him with a look so furious that any other sane person would have doubled over in fear. But not Gilbert. He's seen Cheya at her worst and right now it was his mission to get her back to her best: a bold, slightly cocky, and unmistakably beautiful half French/ half-lunatic of a woman.

Ignoring her protests or half-hearted punches to the arm, Gilbert stormed his way into his best friend's room, carefully shutting the door behind him. Acting as if he wasn't there, Cheya went pack to punching imaginary enemies in the air, her eyebrows furrowed in concentration as she jumped up and down on the balls of her feet. A few minutes passed before the French next spoke. "So," she breathed, her pig tails swishing about as she continued to punch the air. "What did you want to talk about?" Cheya tensed her body into a combative stance as she moved on to practicing her 'almighty' karate kicks.

Gilbert sat down on the French's bed. The German would let her vent out her frustration because if he didn't, he knew that he could very well become her next punching bag. "Nothing, I just wanted to hang out."

Cheya balled her hands into small fists. "Bullshit," she ground out.

Gilbert stood up and walked over to Cheya, his hands reaching out as he gently grabbed onto her hand. Surprisingly, Cheya didn't resist as she let Gilbert guide her towards the bed. The French's body was stiff and composed when she plopped herself down to sit next to the German. She was holding back and Gilbert knew this in an instant.

"I'm fine Gilbert," she muttered in a numb whisper. Gilbert chose not to say anything. The only thing that he did was sit in silence. He was waiting for his friend to calm down, and if he was lucky enough, open up to him. Gilbert pulled one of her hands into his grasp again, his thumb absently stroking over her soft skin as he began to hum a melodic tune. He didn't know which song it was, but all he knew was that it felt right and hopefully in Cheya's case, comforting.

It didn't take long before the tears started to fall. Sobs burst out of Cheya's chest as Gilbert held onto his shaking friend, her head tucked under his chin as he wrapped his arms around her. The German's body tensed up as he blinked back tears of his own. Gilbert felt like his heart had just been shattered into a million pieces. He felt powerless as he watched his friend bawl her eyes out, unknowing as to what could possibly make such a strong willed woman feel so weak and fragile.

After a few minutes of silence, Gilbert felt Cheya wiggle out of his grasp. Watery amber orbs stared back at him. "Did you bring the water balloons?" she whispered.

Small chuckles escaped Gilbert's chest as he gave his friend a sly grin. "Antonio's waiting outside, bebe gun and all." Cheya wiped her eyes and giggled much to Gilbert's delight. Whenever any of them got sad, the three friends liked to blow off some steam by shooting water balloons off a bridge. A rooftop would have to do for now, but the only thing that Gilbert was focusing on right now was the fact that a mischievous light had filled up in his friend's eyes once more.

Without much hesitation, Gilbert leaned over and pecked Cheya on the forehead. "We better get going," the German paused to bask in his friend's flustered if not slightly embarrassed expression. Her face had flushed to an adorable shade of red. Gilbert raised a finger to playfully poke the French in the cheek. "If we don't leave soon, Antonio's going to use all the bullets for himself."

Cheya stood up only to stumble into her dresser. Gilbert supposed that her vision was still blurry from crying.

"Sounds good demon douche," the French woman huffed.

Gilbert pulled off his maroon sweatshirt and tossed it on top of Cheya's head, laughing when he heard her dish out a muffled string of curses. _Mein Gott_ was he ever going to pay for that later. "Cover up will you?" he joked.

"Oh great," she wailed. "I smell like douche now." Gilbert smiled. The woman he loved was back.

* * *

 **Lovina's POV:**

Lovina lay sprawled out on her bed as she munched on a perfectly ripe tomato. What? Those things were delicious little gems that she fucking loved to devour. Maybe putting off her work wasn't the best idea, but at least she was able to enjoy herself sometimes. She may not look as happy as her pasta for brains sister, but Lovina still nonetheless enjoyed her life to a certain extent. She wasn't the emo sibling damnit!

So what if all of the boys flocked to Feli as if she were a fluffy little teddy bear in need of coddling. So what if Feli could make all the boys swoon whenever she so much as 'veh'd. Lovina was happy being single and she wouldn't give up that freedom for anything in the world.

" _Sorella_? Are you watching horror movie's again?" Speak of the devil. Feli was downstairs making pasta for her and some mystery guest. Fuck it all if she cared. Lovina ignored her sister and continued to munch down on her tomato, her eyes lazily glancing across her laptop screen as she watched some stuck up white bitch get stabbed to death.

Just as the killer started to rip out the girl's intestines (much to Lovina's sadistic delight), Feli decided to knock on her bedroom door. Groaning internally, Lovina reluctantly opened the door to let in her sorella, who looked even more cheery than usual. If that was even fucking possible.

Feli stood at the door with a ditsy smile plastered on her face. "Oh Vinaaaaa~" she sang in a voice that made Lovina want to stick a fist down her throat. "Our guest will be here any minute now~."

Lovina glared at her sorella before burying herself in a fortress of pillows. "Why the fuck should I care?" she grumbled. "Besides, I'm not hungry." As if God enjoyed fucking her from behind, Lovina's stomach growled. It was loud as fuck too.

Feli laughed her airy little head off. "Ve~ you can't fool me sorella."

Lovina sighed and rolled over onto her back, her hands massaging her stomach as it let out another traitorous growl. "When should I be downstairs?" she relented.

"Five minutes," Feli tutted, her face stern as her eyes grazed over Lovina's half naked body. "And put on something nice," she winked. Lovina eyed her sister suspiciously. Feli seemed to notice this too as she backed up into the upstairs railing looking as if she were a deer caught in the headlights. Feli's hands clutched onto her 'precious' pink kitchen apron as she looked to her sorella with fright.

"Feli," Lovina glared as she stood up, her hands raised as she prepared to strike down her idiota of a sorella. "What did you do?"

Feli fidgeted with the stray curl that rested near the top of her forehead. "Ve~ Vina," she laughed nervously, her eyes darting across every direction of the room as she searched for her most convenient escape route. Too late; the Italian beast within Lovina had already been released. That's right fuckers, her family used to be in the mafia.

Before her sorella could even let out a girly as fuck 've', Lovina had tackled the bitch to the ground. Feli squealed when Lovina's arms wrapped around her throat in a suffocating headlock.

"What did you do?" Lovina growled into her sorella's ear. Her patience was running thin and no, it didn't have anything to do with how hungry she was. Feli tapped her hands against the ground in defeat, her body squirming frantically as she struggled to breathe. When that didn't work, Feli's hands reached down to pull off one of her white socks; the bitch was trying to signal her surrender.

" _S-orella_ ," she gasped. "I can't breathe." Lovina's arms lessened around her sorella's throat, but that didn't stop her from pressing her pretty little face into the carpet. Lovina decided to carry on with her interrogation. "Who's coming?" she repeated.

"T-tttttt," Feli rasped. Oh; she really was strangling her sister. Lovina crawled off her sister in order to give her some space to breathe. Feli just sat there on her knees, her face red as she gasped for air. "'Tonio." she choked out.

Lovina cocked her head to the side. Was something off with her hearing? Maybe that insufferably loud wine bitch from next door had finally busted in her eardrums. "Sorry?" Lovina asked, her voice breaking off when she noticed her sorella's serious expression. The bitch wasn't kidding.

While Lovina struggled to get her bearings, Feli took this opportunity to run downstairs and lord knows how fast Italians can run if they're motivated enough to do so. "Antonio's coming over," she huffed. _Oh sure, you get ballsy as soon as you're out of my strangling range_ , Lovina thought bitterly.

" _S-orella_?" An eerie silence filled the Vargas' apartment, well, that is before Lovina heard three sickening knocks on her front door. Fuck! She was still in her bra and underwear. Lovina dove into her room, slapping on a pair of black jeans and her favourite blue crop top before cautiously poking her head outside her bedroom door again.

The sight that she saw next sickened her. Antonio stood at the door, moronically grinning at Feli as she flitted around him like a stupid little bird. Birds aren't that smart, so this description fit her ditsy little sorella perfectly. Lovina watched as Antonio laughed at one of Feli's dumb jokes. Lovina also grimaced when the Spaniard flashed Feli with one of those cute, cough, STUPID lopsided grins of his.

As if she were in a trance, Lovina stepped out of her bedroom and into the upstairs hallway. She now stood at the upstairs railing, her eyes grazing over the idiotic Spaniard currently standing by her apartment's front entrance. His curly brown hair was rustled up as if he had just taken a nap. Lovina's lip curled into a snarl when she noticed that he was wearing that stupid ass soccer uniform again. No matter how many times she told him that she wasn't attracted to it, he still wore it, hoping that one day he'd be able to woo her in it. She cringed at the thought of waking up to the Spaniard's idiota face every morning as she raised midget baby versions of him for the rest of her life. Wait a minute. Why was she thinking about babies at a time like this? Here's an even bigger question: Why was she even thinking about that bastard in the first place?!

The Spaniard must have heard Lovina make a disgusted noise while she imagining the unthinkable. A pair of excited green eyes flickered upstairs before focusing on the second (meaner) Vargas twin. "LOOVVVVVI" he shouted. Damn. Why did he have to look so happy? Look away damnit! Lovina already had one air head to with. She didn't need another!

Lovina reluctantly walked downstairs to greet her guest. It's not like she wanted to see the bastard. No of course not. Actually never mind. Lovina was too hungry to put on a fake ass smile and 'socialize' as her sorella liked to call it. She walked past the front door and went straight for the fridge. Greeting her stomach with food was much more important anyways. Just when she had plucked a plump tomato out of the vegetable crisper, a gentle voice prodded from her right.

"What do you got there, eh Lovi? Hehe~" Lovina narrowly avoided banging her head against the fridge, her heart beating so fast that she felt like she was in a fucking airplane. You know when the plane shakes with that turbulence like shit? Whatever. She didn't have time to explain. She still had a stronzo to yell at.

"FUCKING HELL BASTARD. DON'T YOU KNOW HOW TO SAY HI? OR I DON'T KNOW WHY DON'T YOU WARN ME THAT YOU'RE RIGHT FUCKING BEHIND ME?"

Lovina looked up to meet the Spaniard's pouting face. It was kind of cute. Wait…what the fuck no. Maybe her hunger really was getting to her. Just to be safe, Lovina took a massive bite out of her tomato. "But Lovvvi! You didn't even say hi to me," he whined. Lovina ignored him only to freeze when she heard the shutting of a door.

"Feli?" she called. No answer. Lovina started to panic as she ran into the living room, hey eyes wide with alarm as she searched for any sign of her ditsy sorella. Maybe the bitch wanted to play a game of hide and seek? Lovina wouldn't rule it out; Feli could be unfathomably dense at times.

Antonio walked into the living room, chuckling behind Lovina as he watched her lift up a couch pillow. "Silly Lovi. What are you doing?"

Lovina froze. What if her sister purposefully left her alone with this bastard? "Antonio?" she choked out. Lovina could already feel the bile rising in her throat. "Where did Feli go?"

"Hmmm? Oh, she went to buy paper plates from the grocery store.~"

"WHAT?!"

Antonio ducked to avoid the now airborne couch pillow. " _Lo Siento_ Lovi. What did I dooo?" the Spaniard wailed as he (smartly) backed away from the scowling Italian girl.

"Your entire existence! That's what," she spat. Lovina's vision began to cloud over as she stormed up to her room, cursing to herself as she slammed her bedroom door shut. The entire apartment trembled.

The Italian angrily paced back and forth across the small confines of her room, refusing to admit how much the idea of being alone with the perverted bastard scared her. W-what if he tried to make a move on her? What if he pulled her into his lap and started stroking her hair as if she was his fucking pet or something. The Italian shivered at the thought of such a thing.

 _KNOCK. KNOCK._

"Lovi are you sick?"

"Yeah," Lovina scoffed. "SICK WITH THE SPANISH FLU."

"Oh~" Antonio opened the door with a hesitant hand as he poked his stupidly grinning face into the room. "Is there anything that I can do to make you feel better?" Lovina facepalmed. Her suspicions were correct: the Spaniard truly was an _idiota._

Lovina sat on her bed and pulled out her laptop. Maybe if she ignored the bastard, he'd go away. Wrong. The Spaniard, brave as we was, decided to enter her room, even going so far as to sit next to her on the foot of her bed. The smell of cologne attacked Lovina's nostrils and the Italian scrunched up her face in disgust.

"Get off my bed _Stronzo_ you stink."

"Lovi! That's not nice! I showered before I came here." Antonio turned his back on the Italian and pouted. Lovina sighed and placed a reluctant hand on the Spaniard's back.

Antonio, bruised ego and all, slowly lifted his head so that he could face his Italian tormentor.

Damnit, she must have really hurt his feelings.

Lovina forced herself to smile back at the sulking Spaniard, her eyes twitching as she attempted to lift him out of his sullen change in mood. Boy did that ever work fast. A wide grin spread across Antonio's face from ear to fucking ear. Lovina quickly looked at the ground, trying to hide her blush once more. She felt Antonio bump shoulders with her, but she continued to stare at the ground, her body stiff as a board. "LOVIIIIIII," he squealed.

"CHIGI!" the fiery Italian screamed. The bastard had trapped her in a rib crushing hug. Lovina squirmed, trying to free herself from the Spaniards grasp, but that only made the bastard laugh more. "You're so cute~" Antonio chuckled as he proceeded to poke Lovina's (burning) face with a tanned finger. "Is your face always this red?"

Lovina let out an exasperated sigh; there was no point in getting rid of this bastard. No matter what she did or how many times she yelled at him, he always bounced back like the fucking plague. "Leave me alone," she grumbled to herself. There was no point in reasoning with the Spaniard. He was absolutely fucking clueless.

"But I want to cheer my Lovi up."

"MY Lovi?"

"Oops hehe.~"

 _What a dumbass._

Lovina scrambled over to the other side of the bed and propped up a pillow against the wall "…Well are you coming or not?" she asked. Lovina blushed again when she saw an eager pair of green eyes stare back at her, goofy grin and all.

Antonio scooted over next to the scowling Italian. "What are we doing?"

"I'm halfway through a horror movie…." Lovina couldn't even finish her sentence as she now had to focus her attention on keeping her laptop from falling off her lap. The fucker had started to jump up and down with excitement. If that wasn't enough, the bastard had moved so close to her that their arms were touching.

Lovina let out an involuntary gasp. Normally people would go out of their way to avoid Feli's 'bat-shit' crazy sister, but this fucker wasn't about to stand down. Even though she didn't want to admit it, Lovina was glad that he had made the effort to get close to her. For once in her life, someone had actually taken up an interest in her. Not only did this touch Lovina, but it also confused the fuck out of her as well. She didn't even realize that she was smiling at her computer screen, spacing out like an _idiota_ until Antonio politely cleared his throat.

"Eh, Lovi?"

"Yes, bastard?"

"You're leaning on me." What?! Since when did that happen?! _Mio dio_ he was right. How pathetic!

Wait a minute. This situation seems all too familiar. Isn't this how most porn introductions start? Oh fuck. Lovina frantically began to fan her shirt as she wracked her brain for an excuse. "I usually watch horror movies with Feli a-and…"

Antonio patted Lovina on the back. "Awwww you're scared," the Spaniard cooed as he placed an arm around the blushing Italian. "Don't worry, Boss Antonio is here to protect you."

"What am I your henchman?" Lovina protested, her body numb to the arm currently wrapped around her shoulders.

Antonio stroked his chin in contemplation. ( _Huh, so the bastard did have a brain)_ "I was thinking somewhere more along the lines of a girlfriend," he mused with a smirk.

 _SMACK!_

"OW! _LO SIENTO! LO SIENTO_!"

* * *

Hello again (: So next chapter will only be Cheya's perspective (Hello, this is the author from the future, jk I'm editing right now, I lied). I'll be focusing on both her and Arthur (prepare for the fluff) I know this was kind of a filler, but it propels the story forward right. Right?!

Anyways I can see my reviews now if you were wondering. I also noticed that I had my private messaging settings shut off by accident, so that's back up (I was wondering why I hadn't gotten any messages over the past few days haha!) Feel free to shoot me a message. I have no life so I'll probably reply right away. The reason why I wouldn't be is because I'd be doing my two of my other favourite things: sleeping and eating.

NOTE*: I renamed some of the chapters.


	8. A Brewing Romance

**A Brewing Romance:**

 **Maddie's POV:**

"Yes, Arthur she knows that I know." Maddie slumped down onto her living room couch, exhausted by her cousin's relentless pestering. A couple of days had passed since Cheya's mental breakdown and if Maddie didn't know any better, she would have assumed that it had never happened. Her roommate was back to making snarky comments and consuming endless amounts of pop tarts much to Maddie's relief and dismay; the girl kept eating all the damned maple syrup!

The only person who wasn't back to normal, however, was Arthur. Her cousin called her at all points of the day, even during class sometimes, as he wanted to make sure that everything was set in place before he made his apology to Cheya. The Briton was a relentless perfectionist.

"Oh Artie, still obsessive as ever," the Canadian grumbled to herself.

" _Why would you tell her that?! Wait never mind. How is she? What did she say when you told her? How's she doing in the rest of her classes? Is she homesick? Should I buy her a teddy bear? What kind of flowers does she like?"_ Arthur continued to ramble on frantically, panting as he didn't even pause to take a breath.

Maddie pulled the phone away from her ear when Arthur's voice became unbearably loud. High strung would be another way of describing the Briton at the moment. "Arthur, can you stop clucking like a mother hen and calm down already?" she pleaded.

Arthur cleared his throat. _"O-ok, but only if you answer my questions."_

"She has the right to know. She didn't react that much; I think that she's gotten over it to be honest. Last thing I heard she got an A+ on her Criminology paper, not that she didn't rub it in or anything. No, she's not homesick, but she did mention that she was going into crepes withdrawal, whatever the heck that means. No, she doesn't like fluffy things like that. And No she doesn't like flowers either." Maddie answered her cousin's flurry of questions with little to no effort. The Canadian quickly grew bored. She already knew where this conversation was going. This must have been the fifth time that she had told Arthur the answers to these questions. Or was it the sixth? Regardless, the Canadian had long given up on counting. The Briton was just that persistent.

"G-good, so where is she now?"

"Oh, so you're ready to apologize now?" Maddie chuckled. If she was going to help Arthur, she sure as hell wasn't going to do it without poking some fun at him. Maddie was quickly growing to understand why Alfred enjoyed irking the Briton so much. It was quite easy for the Canadian to get the Briton wound up, or in the case of Cheya: hot and bothered. Erm… Gross. Let's move on, shall we?

When Arthur didn't answer, Maddie started to worry. "Eh, Arthur?"

 _"Yes, yes I'm here,"_ he snapped.

"Fine," she scoffed. "I guess that I won't tell you where she is then." The Canadian gleefully made clicking sounds with her tongue. Maddie began to count away the seconds with her fingers, smiling handsomely as she waited for her cousin to explode. Alfred was right: she did have sadistic, passive aggressive tendencies. The Canadian supposed that these traits were hidden behind her generally humble and introverted nature.

 _"NO WAIT!"_ the Briton bellowed into the phone. Maddie cackled when she heard the immense amount of desperation in her cousin's voice. The Canadian pursed her lips. Should she tell him? She still wasn't sure whether or not Arthur would be a good fit for Cheya, but then again, it wasn't her place to stop anything from happening. If it was meant to be, then it was meant to be.

The Canadian licked her lips. "How badly do you want this information?"

Maddie laughed when she heard her cousin suck in his breath. Good. She had him right where she wanted. " _What do you want?_ " The Briton spat out.

"Tickets.~" she sang in the most innocent voice that she could muster.

"To what?!" The Briton was growing more agitated by the minute.

 _Oh Artie, don't act like you don't know what I want._

Maddie decided to humour her frantic cousin. "Hmmmm. I'm thinking about the luxury box what about you~?"

Arthur sighed, signalling his defeat. "Where and when?"

"Home game. After exams. Toronto Maple Leafs," Maddie drilled, her hands clapping against her thigh as she went through her list of pricey demands.

"Just to be clear I will _not_ be paying for food or transportation. Those arena's rip you off with parking and then fuck you over with their overpriced food."

"Fine by me!" the Canadian squealed. "Oh! She's at the Britannia library studyi-" Maddie paused when she heard the terminating service of the dial tone. "Oh he's gone."

* * *

 **Cheya's POV:**

"Oui Papa!" I groaned. I was currently in the library, supposedly studying, until I got a desperate, panic-ridden call from my Papa. Note to self: Don't ever forget to call him goodnight or he will harp up your ass like no tomorrow.

 _"Mon cherie I was so worried! Why didn't you call me?"_

I pinched my nose and took a deep breath. Calm down. The old fool was just worried about his only daughter. I shouldn't take my frustration out on him. Well… not that there was that much to vent out in the first place. I had already put what happened between me and Arthur in the past. Right now, the only problem that I faced was finding another course to take in place of my Cold War Politics class.

 _"Cherieeeeeeeeeee!"_

"Ack! What?" I fumbled with the phone in my hand, startled by my Papa's eccentric outburst. Normally something like that wouldn't have surprised me, but then again, my entire University experience has already changed me in a way that I would have never thought to have been possible. Never before did I think that I would ever make out with a teacher, let alone cry and throw a fit right in front of him. It was downright embarrassing.

Damnit. I needed to stop thinking about that asshole...

 _"I got married in Vegas."_

I heard my Papa ramble on about something, but I decided to wave it off. I had other things to attend to.

 _"I sold your bed for a bottle of thirty year old wine."_

"Oui Papa," I mumbled. I still wasn't paying attention. I scrolled through another list of electives on the University's course registration page. I heard my Papa give an impatient huff. I quickly tuned back into the conversation.

 _"Gilbert asked for your hand in marriage and we settled on a two camel dowry."_

"You WHAT?!" I screamed. I heard my Papa chuckle on the other end of the line. _"Oh, so you were paying attention hmmmmm?"_

I rolled my eyes. "Well, yes and no."

 _"Tsk-tsk. So what is my darling daughter up to right now?"_

"I'm trying to drop one of my classes. The course material wasn't very interesting." More like I wasn't interested in one of the people running it.

 _"Have you been paying attention to your other studies?"_

"Oui Papa. I just got back one of my papers."

 _"Annnnnnd~?"_

"A+."

" _Magnifique~! Ah! How's the duo dynamique doing?"_ Papa liked to refer to Antonio and Gilbert as the dynamic duo. Don't ask me why though. I honestly have no idea why he ever decided to call them that.

"Oh the usual. Gilbert's hung over every morning and Antonio's as chipper as always. Although, if it's any consolation, it appears that your Spanish 'son' has found a new love interest." I mused, knowing that this would cheer up the lonely old fool. Papa absolutely adored any type of gossip, especially when that gossip had to do with all things love.

 _"Ahhh so cute! I remember when I was that young.~ All les filles would come crawling to moi, just begging for the chance to date me."_

I rolled my eyes as my Papa went on to tell me about his glory days in University. I'm just glad that he was able to refrain himself from going into too much detail. He had a terrible habit of doing that sometimes. " _So what about you and Gilberte?"_

I groaned when I heard my Papa smack his lips together. " _Mon Dieu_ Papa, we're just friends."

 _"Ohonhonhon. That's what you say now."_

"It's not going to happen. Get over it."

 _"Ahhhh but I was so looking forward to having German grandchildren_ ," Papa pouted. The man paused before he lowered his voice to a more serious tone. " _But only after you finish your education and get a job. Don't make the same mistake that your Maman and I did."_

"Oh so now I'm your mistake, huh?" I scoffed.

 _"The most wonderful mistake that I've ever made. ~"_

"Don't you get all sentimental on me old man," I growled.

 _"I'm only speaking the truth!"_

"I know. I can't wait until I see you again."

 _"What? So I can be your crepe slave?"_

"That too," I laughed. "But I do miss you terribly."

 _"I know,"_ Papa sighed. _"I do too."_

"Well, I should get going now. I still have a couple of readings to finish up."

 _"Fine, fine, but I want you to call me more often. Your handsome Papa is beginning to get lonely_."

"Oh, I'll think that you'll manage just fine."

 _"So cruel! Au Revoir mon cherie. Je t'aime."_

"Bye Papa, I love you too."

I hung up the phone and continued to search online for other courses to take. The only options for me right now were two courses that I've never even heard about: Occult and Wizardry (whatever that is) and Medieval Witch Studies (again whatever that heck that is). It didn't look like I would be switching out of Braginski's class any time soon. But to be stuck with Arthur for an entire semester? God have mercy on my soul.

Well, there was no point in thinking it over and letting myself get all worked up. I still had work to do. I pulled out my Criminology textbook only to falter when the bookcase behind me creaked. _Merde_. I chose this location of the library just so I could avoid people. Someone else must have had the same idea.

"Hello?" No answer. I plugged in my headphones and went back to reading my textbook. After a minute of humming along to some rad K-Pop tunes, the bookcase creaked again. I pulled out a single ear bud and looked back. Nothing looked suspicious so I differed my attention back to my reading.

A person behind me cleared their throat.

"Is this table occupied?" I turned around to face a very sheepish looking Arthur. My stomach lurched in disgust when I realized that he was wearing the same black v neck sweater that he had lent me last Friday. The smug asshole was probably wearing it just so he could rub it in my face. What? Was ripping out my heart and then embarrassing me in front of everyone in the history building not enough for him? Did he come for more?

"You have some nerve coming here," I snapped. I didn't even bother to look him in the eyes. The bastard didn't deserve any of my attention after what he did the other day. I turned my back to him. For good measure, I cranked up the volume of my music.

 _So much for putting it all behind me..._

I felt the table move. With incredulous eyes I watched Arthur pull up a chair next to me. "Cheya?" Oops, sorry. I'm not about to listen to the shit ton of crap that is bound to come out of those stupid ass lips of yours. _Those soft lips._ SHUT UP.

"Cheya, love, I'm sorry." I scoffed and turned my head to the side. How does it feel to be ignored bitch?

From the corner of my eye, I saw Arthur scratch his head tentatively, his eyes sad as he slumped his shoulders into a miserable looking position. "Cheya please," the Briton begged once more.

I pulled out an ear bud and glared at the Briton. "Can you stop with your bitching? I have homework to do," I hissed. Arthur gave me a wounded expression. Oh cry me a river! If anyone had a right to be upset, it was me.

Another few minutes of silence passed before Arthur finally found the courage to speak up again. "I have Pop Tarts."

"If you think that food is going to bribe me into talking to you then you have another thing co—" _Oh merde._ I just talked. With a weak smile, the Briton slid a full box of cinnamon Pop Tarts over to me. I tried looking away, but in the end, my stomach got the best of me. I didn't eat breakfast this morning and regardless if I tried, I would never be able to resist the sugary goodness of a Pop Tart. The bastard had exploited my ultimate weakness. Chances are that he enjoyed doing it too.

I snatched up the Pop tart box from the table and ripped it open with little to no grace in mind. "Just so you know, I'm only doing this because I didn't have anything to eat this morning."

"Whatever you say love," he laughed. (Barf). I carefully nibbled on the corner of the sugary pastry. Arthur laughed. "WHAT?!"

The Briton's eyes crinkled up with laughter. "Oh Nothing." Fuck. Why did he have to look so cute when he did that? Scowl like the bastard that you are! _Mon Dieu_ , I could already feel the heat begin to rise to my face. This was downright embarrassing. I bit my lip. Get it together Cheya; you're losing here. Don't give him the satisfaction of getting all flustered in front of him.

Arthur leaned closer to me. The Briton's shoulder's brushed up against mine. I was too frozen to flinch away. "To think that even in a pair of sweatpants, you'd look this cute." That comment only made my blush worse. My body was betraying me. My hands started to shake. I couldn't go on like this. I was going to crack any second now. I looked at Arthur and being the cold bastard that he was, he was smirking like a fucking clown.

"E-excuse me?" Oh great, real smart Cheya. Might as well dye your hair blond and call yourself Karen Smith.

I watched in horror as Arthur ran a hand through his sexy, messy hair-GOD FUCKING DAMNIT.

Arthur scooted his chair closer to me, if that was even possible. The Briton took both of my hands into his. I squeaked like a total bitch. Arthur's eyes widened with mirthful looking surprise. "Will you listen to what I have to say?" Woah, that was weird. I've never seen his green eyes look so soft and-and…never mind it doesn't even matter. As if my body were on autopilot, I bobbed my head into a stiff nod.

"Why are your hands so cold?" he asked. Before I could respond, Arthur started to rub my hands. I couldn't think. I couldn't breathe. All I knew was that Arthur's hands were warm and that I, well… I enjoyed the contact. This was ridiculous. I was defying everything that I believed in, but as corny as it was, my heart told me otherwise.

But why?!

I needed to find out.

"Arthur, why are you doing this?"

The Briton looked up to me hopefully. "So you're not mad?" Oh no. I was still mad. If he wasn't doing that handsy wooing magic of his, he'd probably be on the ground right now, begging for the mercy that I wouldn't dream to give.

"Cheya?" _Merde._ He was still talking to me. "Fine!" I snapped. "I'll listen but only if you—" Fuck. Arthur placed his hand over my mouth. "Please, for the love of God just shut up and listen." I blinked in confusion, but I didn't make any move to speak.

"I'm sorry."

I wrenched Arthur's hand away from my mouth. "Is that ALL?" I screamed.

Arthur grabbed my arm and pulled me towards him. His face was so close that I could feel his breath tickle against my cheek. A pair of serious green eyes bore into mine and much to my inner dismay, I blushed. "You didn't let me finish." I squirmed under the Briton's watchful stare as he proceeded to stroke my chin with a gentle thumb. "Blushing are we now?" Arthur chuckled, breathing into my face once more. I let out an involuntary shiver.

"Y-yeah well, I can't concentrate with your asshole face so close to me," I grumbled.

"Would an asshole do this?" Arthur pressed his forehead against mine and sighed. "I'm sorry. I know that this is really inappropriate with you being one of my students and all, but I can't help it. You're not like other girls Cheya. You're brave, you're stubborn and you don't let anyone shit on you… er including me. I understand if you never want to talk to me again and in the end, I'll respect any decision that you make. Just know that I've fallen head over heels for you and that those feelings are never going to change."

"Y-you hardly even know me. What is this some fucking Disney movie?" I croaked.

Leave it to me to ruin a sentimental moment by being sarcastic.

Arthur pulled his head away and chuckled. "This is all new to me, so yes, I suppose you could say that my attraction to you is nothing short of being a corny Harlequin Romance. Ha! I'm quite the despicable man aren't I?" Arthur looked at the ground, refusing to meet my gaze as he clenched his jaw into a tight grimace.

I didn't have time to think about what I was doing. Hands still shaking from shock, I cupped my hands around Arthur's trembling face. "For the love of God stop kicking yourself over it. You aren't the only one to blame."

"But I am," he growled. "You're right. I am an asshole, unequivocally. Cheya, love, you have absolutely no idea how shattered I felt when I saw you cry like that."

I waved a hand in front of Arthur's face. "Earth to Eyebrows, I forgive you." Arthur smiled and pulled me into a hug. Damnit. I wasn't expecting that. My head rested against his collar bone and he began to pat my head with another round of comforting strokes. If he didn't stop soon, I was bound to give in. "Damnit Arthur."

"What love?" he murmured into my hair.

"I-I don't want to be some toy for you to play with."

I felt Arthur's entire body tense up before he decided to tighten his arms around me. "It's simple," he whispered. "You can't be a toy if I never grow tired of you." I have to admit, that line was pretty smooth, but it still didn't stop me from laughing my ass off. I craned my neck to look up at Arthur's scowling face.

"What did you do? Watch an entire marathon of romantic movies before you came here?" I giggled only to cup a hand over my mouth when I heard Arthur's growl of annoyance. "NO. But I can show you something that I've always known how to do," he purred. The smirking Briton then silenced my gasp with a kiss.

I smiled into the kiss and relaxed, closing my eyes as I leaned into his chest once more. I ran a hand through Arthur's hair and he reciprocated the gesture by playfully nipping at my bottom lip. "Hey," I growled. "Easy on the lips."

Arthur pulled away and chuckled. "Fine by me, you tasted like a bloody candy store."

"A little extra sugar doesn't hurt you know," I teased.

Arthur raised an eyebrow at me. "You know what else doesn't hurt?"

"What?" I asked even though I knew full well where this was going.

"This." Arthur pecked me on the nose. "I'm sorry for yelling at you," Arthur moved to kiss my forehead. "I'm sorry for swearing at you."

 _Mon dieu, did it get hot in here or was it just me?_

Placing a thumb on my chin, Arthur tilted my head up. The Briton examined my lips. His eyes grazed over my face, taunting me, before he decided to kiss me again. "And I'm sorry for all the stupid shit that I'm bound to do in the future."

What Arthur did next surprised me. Pulling me out of my chair so that we were both standing, Arthur extended a hand to me. "Arthur Kirkland. 23 years old, History Major with a minor in Political Science. I love football, but I absolutely adore girls who wear their hair in pig tails."

I shook hands with Arthur and grinned. "Nice to meet you browzilla, the name's Cheya."

Three seconds. It took Arthur three seconds before he exploded.

"LISTEN. I'M TRYING TO BE ROMANTIC AND YOU PULL THIS SHIT?" he shouted, although I knew he didn't mean any of the words he was saying. The sarcastic grin on his face said it all.

I sighed dramatically. "Seychelles Bonnefoy. 18 years old. First year Undergrad, double majoring in Criminology and Political Science. I love sweets and I 'absolutely adore' British men with bushy eyebrows." I held up a hand to silence a red-faced Arthur. "I'm a sucker for green eyes and blond hair, so if you'll please excuse me, I'm off to find my new boyfriend." I jabbed a finger into Arthur's chest. "Oh look," I mused triumphantly. "I found him."

Arthur raised a finger to flick me in the forehead. "Cheers to finding my trouble maker of a girlfriend."

I clapped my hands together gleefully. "Ohhhhh this is going to be so much fun!~"

* * *

~Bonus Text Message Dialogue~

* * *

Cheya: Hey boo ;)

Arthur: I told you not to call me that.

Cheya: Boo face ;)

Arthur: Even worse.

Cheya: …

Arthur: ?

Cheya: Hehe :P

Arthur: Dear God, what did I ever do to deserve this?

Cheya: HEY! Just be glad that you have a hot girlfriend~!

Arthur: Honestly love, do you really think that I'm dating you for you 'dazzling' personality?

Cheya: NOPE! Just be glad that I'm not taking a tweezer to those eyebrows of yours. Hmmm. Maybe a lawnmower would be more suitable…..

Arthur: Do that and I'll burn every fucking Pop Tarts factory on this planet.

Cheya: Boo, you're no fun~

Arthur: SAY BOO ONE MORE TIME. I DARE YOU.

Cheya: OOB

Arthur: OH FOR THE LOVE OF GOD.

Cheya: :(

Arthur: Cheya?

Arthur: Love?

Arthur: Answer me damnit?!

Cheya: Say it ;)

Arthur: No.

Arthur: I'm going to kill you, you know that?

Cheya: Awwww my boo's all hot and BOOthered.

Arthur: Hey Cheya?

Cheya: Yes Boo?

Arthur: Look out your window.

Cheya: Why?

Arthur: You've been on tumblr too long. It's poisoning your brain.

Arthur: Are you eating again?

Arthur: Damnit woman how much does a 100 pound girl need to eat?

Arthur: Hello?!

Cheya: Wassup m8?

Arthur: I think I preferred Boo..

Cheya: ;)

Arthur: WHAT?!

Cheya: You said it ;)

Arthur: FUCK IT ALL. I'M DONE.

* * *

THE END. JUST KIDDING HAHA.There's so much more that I have to resolve, it's not even funny. (The story's turning out much longer than I planned for it to be lol; it was originally supposed to be about 50,000 words)

I'll be uploading this earlier than usual since most of you are back in school now. I don't go back until the 11th so I'll be posting a couple more chapters. But unfortunately the two day update must come to an end. I'll still be writing the story as often as I can, so it could very well be within two days sometimes, but school is my first priority. (So if I'm haven't posted in a while, I'm probably doing an essay or studying for another round of midterms. Yeah, I'm one of those huge A+ nerds)

Until Next time, and to the reader who asked: Yes, I will be focusing on Amebel (Chapter 10-11 actually). I'm in the mood to write a humorous chapter! (Stay Tuned for Gerita though, I've kept that idea in the back of my head for a while now)


	9. It's Aboot Time

**It's Aboot Time:**

 **I hope that this is as fun for you to read as it was for me to write! Enjoy~**

 **Maddie's POV:**

"E-excuse me?" Maddie piped, her voice weak as she tried to get the waiters attention. She watched as the waiter flitted around to customer to customer, not even so much as glancing over in her general direction of the restaurant. It had already taken her a good half hour to get the busboy's attention. Which was quite sad considering the fact that she was the only person there. But Maddie was already accustomed to this form of silent treatment. You'd think that she'd be wearing some sort of invisible cloaking device, but alas, this was just a normal day for the overly timid Canadian.

Looking out the window, Maddie sighed as she slumped into her booth. Maybe if she played dead someone would notice her, but then again the smell of pancakes was just too arousing for her to truly act the part. She had come to this small breakfast diner for celebratory pancakes, a well-earned treat after going through a tough first round of essays.

A female waiter with choppy blonde hair approached the Canadian's table. "Sorry dear! I guess that my pal over there didn't see you!~ My name's Katyusha. What can I get for you?" the waiter squealed while Maddie looked down at the table, blushing as she noticed how the woman's breasts, which were nearly popping out of her shirt, bounced with every word that she spoke. This wasn't Hooter's for maple's sake, why wasn't that woman wearing any decent clothes?!

Maddie decided to focus her attention on the waiter's bubbly blue eyes. "U-m, can I have a stack of pancakes please?" the Canadian stammered much to her own displeasure. Even though she wasn't attracted to girls, Maddie felt an immense amount of second hand embarrassment for the woman standing in front of her. Nearly every frat boy within a three table radius had their eyes plastered on that woman's chest.

"Sure thing sweetheart! You poor thing, you must be starving. Tell you what, it's on the house!" the busty waiter gushed. Before Maddie could thank her for her generosity, as that's what Canadian's do, the woman had already bounced off (pun intended), to attend to another table full of ogling, slightly hungover teenage boys.

 _Maybe if I had a chest like that I'd get noticed._

Oh well, there was no point in fretting over something that was never going to change.

The Canadian decided to pass her time by checking up on the statistics of her fantasy hockey pool. Last time she checked she was in second place, so seeing that was bound to cheer her up; right? Maddie was quite lonely at the moment. The obvious solution to this would have been to invite Cheya over to join her, but knowing how little sleep that her roommate had gotten over the last few days, the Canadian had decided to let the French sleep in for a bit. If anything, Maddie would bring her some leftovers after she had finished up at this diner; that is, if the food ever got to her.

"Right this way sir, you're in luck we have one more table!" Maddie looked up from her phone only to frown in confusion. The bus boy was escorting a hooded figure into her booth (?!).

"Erm, this table's taken." Too late. The bus boy was gone and the stranger had already slipped into the opposite side of the booth. Maddie didn't feel obligated to make small talk. The Canadian went back to scrolling through her phone, settled on the fact that she would be ignored once more.

From the corner of her eye, Maddie noticed that the stranger had pulled down the maroon hood of his University sweater. " _Kesesese_ , you're not even going to say hi?" Maddie looked up to meet a pair of smirking red eyes. Cheeks still rosy from a full night of drinking, Gilbert stared at Maddie, and upon noticing her flustered expression, the German's lips curled into a predatory grin. Judging by the dark bags under his eyes, coming here must have been a late night dinner for the cocky albino.

"Y-you noticed me?" she squeaked.

Gilbert waved a massive hand in front of the Canadian's face as if he could swipe through her at any given moment. " _Ja_ , I can see you Megan." Maddie's stomach lurched with disgust. How many times did she have to tell him that her name was not MEGAN? Maybe another two syllables was too difficult for the German to handle. The idiot probably killed most of his brain cells with that unhealthy beer addiction of his.

"THE NAME'S NOT MEGAN DOUCHE BAG," Maddie raged, uncaring as to whether people in the restaurant stared at her. _Good_ she thought, M _aybe now people will actually notice me._ It wasn't that often that the Canadian let her temper get the best of her, but Gilbert had a pestering knack for getting under her skin. Maddie balled her hands into fists. The Canadian glared at the German, her eyes boring onto him with a look so furious that it would put Arthur's stiff upper lip to shame. Well, smoldering tempers did tend to run in the family.

Gilbert pursed his lips and to Maddie's complete and utter shock, the German didn't appear to be fazed at all. Maybe she didn't put enough anger in her words? That happened sometimes. She didn't get angry very often, so it was only natural for people to doubt it from ever happening. "WHAT?!" Maddie growled.

"I was only joking Maddie," the German laughed only to stop when he saw the Canadian's glowering expression. Gilbert cleared his throat awkwardly. "Aren't Canadians supposed to be polite?"

"Only if the other person isn't a walking piece of—" Maddie stopped, realizing that bantering back and forth with the German was futile. He was wasting her time and if he didn't shut up, he would most definitely ruin her appetite. She had worked hard for those pancakes and as much as she wanted to smack that moronic German senseless, enjoying and savouring her food was her top priority.

And so the Canadian went back to scrolling through her phone, ignoring any attempts that Gilbert made at small talk. "Are you always this rude?" he pried. The Canadian's brow twitched. Clearly, the German was poking at her in order to ease his boredom. Even though Maddie continued to ignore him, Gilbert pestered on, oblivious, perhaps even purposefully, to the Canadian's growing irritation. "Soooo… how's life." The Canadian let out a sarcastic snort.

 _Oh please. As if that arrogant jerk had room in that fat brain of his to think about others._

Maddie stared at Gilbert, surprised by the genuine look of intrigue that had etched its way onto the albino's face. "Why do you care?" the Canadian snapped, immediately wincing at the hostility edged within her voice. Perhaps she was being a bit rude.

Gilbert sucked in his breath before letting out a sarcastic snort of his own. Waving a lazy hand across the table, the German spoke with his drawling, yet overly brash inflection. "I'm starting to see why Matthias stopped calling you," Gilbert huffed. The German slapped a hand against the table's surface. "Maybe you should try being nicer. Hmmmm?"

That comment struck Maddie in all the wrong places. Gilbert was right: her attitude and behavior towards the German was uncalled for, and even though he had pissed her off many (many) times before, her overall prejudice towards him was unjustified. But that didn't spare the Canadian from the hurt that she now felt. The brutality of these words cut deeply into the Canadian, stirring up conflicts that she had long thought to have been repressed.

The insecurities that had tormented her for years were suddenly brought up, causing for Maddie to gasp out in shock, her lungs desperate for air as she tried to ground herself. Even though Gilbert's comment was light-hearted at best, he had struck a nerve, a nerve that had yet to heal.

 _Not again. I don't want to be alone._

Blinking tears out her eyes, the Canadian rubbed at her eyes and went back to her phone; her new found safe haven. A couple of minutes had passed before Maddie felt a hand brush over her own. "I'm sorry _fraulein_ , perhaps I took things a bit too far. I really would like to be friends if that's alright with you." The Canadian stared at the German, perplexed and seemingly mesmerized by the soft red eyes that looked on to her. The smirk on the German's face was gone. It had been replaced with a kind and welcoming smile, a smile that indicated to Maddie that the German understood far more than what he had initially let on.

"Not everyone likes me too you know," Gilbert paused as he stretched an arm over the table, his hands reaching out to tuck a stray curl behind the blushing Canadian's ear. "They can't always handle the awesome, so you want to know what I say to that?"

"What?" Maddie asked, her throat still a little constricted from earlier.

"Fuck them."

Maddie giggled. "Good advice."

Gilbert smiled before waggling a scolding finger at the Canadian, much to her dismay. He still treated her as if he ruled over her, but she supposed that that was a part of him that would forever be ingrained into his conceited, yet oddly compassionate personality. "Now, don't take this the wrong way, but I'd like to help you."

"Um…OK?" Gilbert analyzed the Canadian's face, his eyes scrutinizing over every fine detail. Shy to the German's analytical gaze, Maddie averted her gaze to the ground. The Canadian was evidently flustered with the amount of attention that the albino was currently giving her.

Another couple minutes of unbearable silence passed before Maddie had piped up enough courage to look Gilbert in the eyes again. Nervous in her entirety, the Canadian tapped her fingers against the table. She vied to ask him the question that dwelled at the back of her mind. "What will you be helping me with exactly?" the Canadian asked, almost wary of the answer that would most certainly spiral her into another wave of embarrassment and regret. Mostly regret.

Gilbert clapped his hands together loudly, earning himself a handful of odd stares in the process. The German then leaned over the table, bringing himself closer so that he could meet the Canadian's shy gaze. A smirk of elation was carved onto his smug face. "Maddie my dear, I'm going to help you get noticed."

* * *

 **Gilbert's POV:**

Gilbert smirked as he examined the fainthearted, bespectacled girl sitting across the booth from him. She was wearing a simple white blouse and denim jeans. Widely framed glasses rested on her pale face, covering up a pair of gentle violet orbs. Blonde ringlets cascaded half way down the Canadians back, framing her delicate face so perfectly that Gilbert couldn't help but smile: the girl was nothing short of a beauty; she had potential.

Maddie looked up from her phone only to give the German a wary glance. "You're starting to worry me Gilbert," she muttered. Gilbert supposed that she had every right to worry. Even though he hated to admit it, his awesome plans often resulted in some form of disaster. But moments ago Gilbert had promised this girl that he would help her get noticed. But How? The German wracked his brain for an answer.

He supposed that the Canadian was cute, even dainty looking when she wasn't lashing out at him. And if it wasn't for her introverted nature, she would most definitely have a boyfriend. That's it! This was the answer that he was looking for!

The German may not have been the smartest person in his graduating class, but oddly enough, there was always one thing that he had been good at. No matter how subtle, Gilbert had always been good at picking up on the emotional cues of other women. Two of his best friends were girls, so the German had to learn a thing or two when it came to dealing with what he liked to call the 'lunatic gender'. Regardless, Gilbert was experienced in the field of women, and no, not in the perverted way that you most certainly just imagined it in. (Get your head out the gutter _kesesese_ ).

The Canadian had put up walls to protect herself, and Gilbert, blunt as he was, was the brash bulldozer that would crash into these walls, luring his new friend into stepping out from her comfort zone and persuading her into embracing a much more confident approach to life. Based off of his few encounters with Maddie, Gilbert had already learned that the girl was quite conservative if not calculated when it came to revealing her emotions to other people. It was only until recently that Gilbert had seen the Canadian slip up, drop her defenses, and reveal the fragility that lurked within her heart.

Gilbert looked around the restaurant, his eyes scanning his surroundings. The German was looking for a platform in which he could place his plan into motion. Immediately, Gilbert's eyes latched onto the male waiter standing at the other end of the diner. Perfect. This was something that he could work with.

Gilbert crossed his arms and with an impatient huff, he clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "Maddie, get that waiter's attention for me," he demanded. As expected, the Canadian jumped up with surprise. "W-why? Can't you do that yourself?" Maddie asked. The Canadian's face paled at the prospect. Fidgeting with her hair as if it were some sort of lifeline, Maddie purposefully avoided the German's stern gaze.

 _I'm sorry Maddie. Please bear with me here._

Gilbert rolled his eyes. "Well, that sucks. Looks like you'll never get noticed then."

 _Almost there. Come on._

Gilbert watched as Maddie's timid demeanor changed, the dimly lit fire now exploding with flames as the Canadian's eyebrows furrowed into an indignant scowl. "Fine, I will. It's about time that you ordered anyways. The sooner that you eat the better. I'm getting tired of hearing you flap those cocky ass lips of yours," she growled.

 _Perfect._

The German had planned this out meticulously and his execution was none too short of being flawless. If necessary, Gilbert was willing to play the bad guy, provoking her, irking her, and teasing her until the Canadian released her inner sanctions and acted out on impulse. He wanted her reactions to be natural, unforced, spontaneous even. Gilbert was working at an intermediate level here, treading over Maddie's irritations and effectively rousing her into fighting back.

Gilbert leaned back into the cushioned padding of the booth, sighing as he raised his feet so that they were resting right beside the Canadian's lap. The German was toying with her emotions. He wanted to aggravate her. He wanted to see her raw emotions pour out. Who was Maddie Williams? Was she willing to fight for a chance in the spotlight? These were the questions that the German asked to himself as he watched the Canadian purse her lips, the cogs clicking in her head and her delicate nose scrunched up with choler, ignorant to both his schemes and to the current charade that he was upholding. "Well then, what are you waiting for mein freund? My awesome stomach can't wait all day!"

As if a burst of courage had rushed straight through her veins, Maddie raised a hand high up into the air, her curls swaying with a new bound of confidence as she waved at the male waiter. "Excuse me, sir? We'd like to order," she hollered in a voice so foreign to Gilbert that he had to pinch his wrist just to make sure that what he was seeing was truly happening. Chin held high and back poised for battle, the Canadian grinned at the German, daring for him to retaliate. But he didn't. Gilbert planned to leave Maddie to her own devices; he had done his part. It was all up to her now.

A tall brown haired waiter with blue eyes rushed across the room, his hands scratching at the back of his head as he apologized for his tardiness. "Sorry about that Ma'am hehe~. What can I get for you?" Gilbert beamed with pride when he noticed the determined demeanor that the Canadian had composed herself with. To him, it was actually pretty adorable. The way that her violet eyes narrowed with concentration. Or how her jaw tilted up with a cocky expression that could easily spar with his on any given day. It was simply breathtaking for him to see how quickly this woman had changed.

The German stared, his jaw hanging open like a moron as he watched Maddie…..flirt with the waiter? Gilbert grit his teeth when he caught the waiter shoot a not so subtle glance at the oblivious Canadian's chest. The blouse that she wore snugly hugged her curves. _Perhaps a bit too snugly_ , the albino reluctantly noted. "Actually," Maddie paused to point a slender finger at the now scowling German. "My friend's the one who would like to order."

Gilbert gave his order, the usual bacon, sausage and ham trio, although his eyes never wavered from the suspiciously eager waiter. "No problem! I'll put that order in right away!" the waiter turned around and hurried off in the direction of the kitchen. A single piece of paper fell to the ground. Maddie supposed that it must have fallen out of the waiter's bill pad.

"Wait! You dropped something!" Maddie called, but it was already too late. Picking up the slip of paper from the ground, Maddie examined it for a brief moment. Not long after, a pink tinge had etched itself onto the Canadian's pale cheeks.

"What?" Gilbert spluttered.

Maddie's eyes grazed over the paper, reassuring herself once more before she held it up for the German to see. "He gave me his number," she mumbled in a numb whisper. Realization dawned on the Canadians face. Maddie squealed with delight. "He gave me his number!"

"See? I knew that you could do it!" Gilbert cheered. The German urged himself to play the role of the happy and supportive friend. He didn't know why, but something about this irked him to no end. He wasn't as happy as he ought to have been.

The German was latched away from his thoughts when he felt Maddie nudge him under the table with her foot. A pair of grateful violet eyes beamed up at Gilbert. Tears threatened to pour down the Canadian's face as her entire body shook with uncontrollable tremors of joy. "T-thank you," she stammered, her voice cutting off as Gilbert leaned over the table. Using a gentle thumb, the German wiped at the tears that were now trickling down the Canadian' cheek. "If you're like this now, I don't want to see what you'll be like after our other lessons."

"Other lessons?" Maddie sniffled.

Gilbert scoffed in mock offense. "Did you really think that the awesome me could teach you everything in one measly lesson?!"

"No, of course not," the Canadian huffed, now passive to the German's obnoxious tendencies. Maddie raised a skeptical brow at Gilbert. "But don't get the wrong idea. I'm only doing this to help myself."

" _Ja_ ," Gilbert winked at the unyielding Canadian. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

* * *

 **Lovina's POV:**

Lovina stormed back to her dorm, her combat boots trudging against the gravel as she tried to convince herself that it wasn't ethical to murder the _Stronzo_ who had given her paper a C+. So what if she called him an idiot? Her paper was fucking gold and she backed that shit up like no tomorrow.

Damn. She needed to unwind. Normally she didn't care that much about school, but lately she'd taken up an interest in anything that had allowed her to avoid that dopey ass Spaniard. The bastard turned up at just about every corner, lopsided grin and all, as he followed *correction* stalked her all over campus. Want a coffee? Oh look! The bastard's right behind you ordering a fucking enchilada latte, gleefully humming along to a stupid ass tune that he knows is only going to irritate the shit out the person standing right in front of him (take a fucking wild guess on who that person was). Want to work out? Oh look! The asshole's toning up his arms like he's training for the fucking inquisition or something.

And what the actual flipping fuck was up with Feli? Her sorella knew how much she despised the Spaniard, yet that still didn't stop her quaint little ass from inviting him over for dinner nearly every night of the week. Although it was much more hidden, like way hidden under obnoxiously bubbly layers of makeup, pasta, and air, Lovina's twin sister did have a sadistic side to her, much like her own.

Whenever the bastard came over, however, Lovina was no where to be seen. The Italian would lock herself in her room, pacing around and counting away at the seconds like a mad woman. To her, every second that passed was a second that brought her closer to being freed from a moron's dream land. The only thing that could coax Lovina out of hiding was the prospect of food. Her appetite was much too big for her to skip out on a meal. But of course, such bravery didn't spare her from any awkwardness at the dinner table. Seriously, all Feli and the bastard talked about was pasta and soccer. The idiots didn't even focus on the food in front of them as they 'socialized.'

Lovina, on the other hand, prided herself on her appetite during dinner. Dinner was all about food, so who gave a fuck about half ass conversations where people pretended that they cared about each other? Nonetheless, the only thing about dinner that Lovina took some form of enjoyment in was when the bastard decided to enlighten them with his soccer anecdotes. Lovina especially took pleasure in the ones that resulted in the Spaniard's own injuries.

Lovina was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn't even notice that she had been walking along the fence that bordered the University's soccer field. What's more, the Italian also didn't notice that the Spanish bastard was practicing drills on said field, alone, wearing nothing but a pair of black track pants. The Italian froze in her tracks. She had to contemplate her next action very carefully. If she turned back that meant that she would have to take the long way home. Lovina scowled at the thought. Well that was out of the fucking question. But what else could she do?

Unfortunately for Lovina, time had run out. She could no longer ponder over her other options. The moronic bastard had spotted her. "LOVIIIIIIIIIIIII!~

 _Mio Dio!_ How the fuck did he move so fast?!

Lovina considered making a run for it, as that's what Italian's are good at, but by this time the bastard had already made his way halfway across the field. The Spaniard sprinted towards the Italian with a crazed grin on his face. Lovina scoffed. And he calls himself a proper mid fielder? The idiot was practically tripping over himself, out of joy the Italian hated to admit, but regardless he still looked ridiculous.

As the Spaniard got closer, Lovina started to panic. Sweat dripped off of the bastard's forehead and his tanned skin glistened as if he had just spritzed himself with a spray bottle full of liquid douche. But, come to think of it, his chest was pretty muscular, and his body did have a nice leanness to it. He wasn't ripped like a fucking mafiaso or anything. His muscles were well balanced...CHIGI! Lovina bit on her tongue, effectively snapping herself out of her bastard induced trance. The Italian tasted blood in her mouth. Crapola.

Lovina scowled at the ecstatic looking Spaniard. " _Hola_ Lovi ~!" the Spaniard chirped. With a sly grin, Antonio placed both hands onto the fence, leaning into it so that he could get as close as he possibly could to the glowering Italian. The Spaniard's eyes were brimming with so much excitement and awe that Lovina began to feel suffocated. Looking down so that she could avoid glancing at the Spaniard's naked chest, the Italian's face flushed with embarrassment.

"Can't you put on a shirt bastard?" she grumbled, ignoring the fact that he had referred to her with that damned nickname again. There was no point in berating the Spaniard. The idiot only had so many brain cells and Lovina didn't want to confuse him.. not that she cared about him or anything. If she wanted to she could absolutely destroy him with enough insults to send him to an early grave. The Italian simply chose not because of the happy expression on the Spaniard's face. Oddly enough, it reminded Lovina of Feli's puppy dog face. So happy yet so dumb…

Antonio cocked his head to side. "Ah Lovi! Your face is so red! It's ok for you to be attracted to me _chica,_ it's only natural."

Lovina's eye twitched. "Listen up idiota. You need to stop following me," the Italian growled as she pointed an accusatory finger towards her Spanish stalker. Lovina's hands itched to claw at the bastard standing right in front of her. Antonio backed away from the fence when Lovina took a few steps forward. Despite there being a fence between them, Lovina had the bastard cornered, her face compressed into a scowl as she trudged on, unwilling to back down as her eyes communicated a series of murderous glares.

"Eheh Lovi? You're the one who's following me right now hehe," the Spaniard laughed nervously as he continued to back away from the seething Italian.

Lovina had now reached the fence, both of her hands gripping onto the metal so tightly that the whites of her knuckles had started to show. The Italian glared at the Spaniard. However, instead of threatening to murder the boy, as she had done on countless other occasions, the Italian wanted to ask the bastard a question. Why the fuck are you so surprised? She could be civilized damnit! She just wanted to scare him that's all. It's a good fucking interrogative tactic. Scare them shitless and then let them piss out the answers: simple, yet effective.

"Can I ask you a question?" she asked. Judging by the scared look on the bastard's face, the Italian's serene expression wasn't fooling the Spaniard any time soon. Evolutionary instincts kicked in as the Spaniard continued to back away. Lovina grinned. The bastard clearly knew that his life was on the line. The Spaniard bowed his head in a curt nod.

"Why me? Why don't you leave me alone?" Lovina was curious. By now, most people would have either ran away, cowered in fear, or quivered in the quake of the Italian's hot temper. But not Antonio. The bastard popped up everywhere, smiling, forgiving, and even complimenting Lovina whenever he saw her. It was bizarre and she wanted to know why.

Oblivious to what she was truly asking, the Spaniard's eyes lit up with a competitive flare. "Tell you what, er 'Lovina'. I'll leave you alone," he paused, wincing a little when he saw the Italian's blatantly hopeful expression. "But only if you can score a goal on me."

 _Wrong move, El Bastardo~_

Lovina beamed at the Spaniard, surprising him as she let out a hearty cackle. "You're on bastard, but don't come crying to me when you lose."

(A few minutes later)

Lovina jogged back and forth across the penalty box, warming herself up as she prepared to inflict the crushing blow of defeat onto the moronic bastard standing in front of her. Thankfully the bastard had put on a shirt at this point. But alas, a simple muscle shirt couldn't hope to conceal the Spaniard's slimly toned chest and arms.

Said stronzo at the moment was prancing around the goal line, a look of determination plastered on his face as he too warmed himself up for Lovina's penalty shot. The Italian's lips pursed into a taut grin. She couldn't wait to shit all over the cocky Spaniard's parade.

"Poor bastard. I wonder what he'll do when he finds out," Lovina mused to herself.

Little did the Spaniard know that Italian also used to dabble in the sport of soccer. Although it had been a while since she had last played, Lovina's legs itched with a familiar longing that could only be satisfied once she felt the pounding sensation of kicking a ball at the tip of her foot. The familiar sound of the ball whistling in the air was music to Lovina's ears. Now all she needed was to hear the Spaniard's cries of defeat.

Antonio walked into the net, the moronic grin smeared on his face faltering when he noticed the determined stature that the fiery Italian had composed herself with. "Lovi, are you ready?"

Lovina rolled the ball under her feet and took a deep breath, her nostrils inhaling the familiar scent of the moldy grass, dirt, and if she was lucky enough, defeat. "Yeah, yeah bastard," the Italian grumbled as she placed the ball onto the penalty line. This was it. One shot and she would be free; another nuisance pushed out of her life.

But then why did she feel so empty? What would life be like without that idiotic Spaniard? Deep down, she sort of liked yelling at him. Call it one of her guilty pleasures, but seeing the fear in those wide green eyes of his pleased her to no end. Under the Italian's critical inspection, the bastard wasn't a sore sight on the eyes either. He wasn't overly tall, he had a nice tan, and despite an endless fortitude of internal protests, she could see how that stupid lopsided grin of his had charmed other girls into falling for his idiotic perversions.

Whatever. It was too late now. She wasn't going to back out of this challenge and she sure as hell wasn't going to make herself look like a fucking pansy in front of him. Stomping her combat boots as if they would shake herself free from any regrets, the Italian nodded to the Spaniard, indicating that she was ready to shoot.

Backing up to add more power to her kick, Lovina eyed the Spaniard one last time. Hazel eyes narrowed into concentration, Lovina began to feel unnerved by the serious aura that the Spaniard gave off.

If she wasn't careful the bastard would throw her off her game. She needed to act now.

The Italian ran forward, dashing at the ball with all the speed that she could muster as she stumbled forward to kick the ball. Antonio was correct in his anticipation as to which side the ball would lean towards; however, that didn't stop the ball from soaring over into the top left corner of the net. With a simple swish of the net, the Italian had won, her triumphant cries ringing across the field so loudly that it had drowned out the Spaniard's defeated groans.

"I WON. I WON. AHAHAHA," she cackled. Like a deranged lunatic the Italian danced, uncaring as to whether anyone saw her or not.

"NO YOU DIDN'T," another voice screamed, pulling Lovina away from the glory of her magnificent victory. The Italian turned around to face the furious Spaniard, his eyes glowering at her with a look so intense that Lovina was now the one to back away in fear. Antonio ran a hand through his short chocolate curls, his eyes bulging and his body numb to any feeling other than that of his own anger. "You stepped over the line," he snapped in a voice that made Lovina flinch, but only by a little bit.

He just surprised her. That's all!

The Spaniard knew his place and he wasn't about to go back on his word.

"Even if I did, we never agreed on any rules," Lovina countered, her face smug with the delight of triumph once more. "You only said that I had to score on you."

"Well if you're going to play by your own rules, then so will I. The deal's off Lovina Vargas," he growled. Now this was something that had surprised the Italian. The Spaniard's eyes shone with a malice that Lovina had never seen before. Antonio's face contorted into an unattractive scowl. Clumps of dirt started to fly as the Spaniard channeled his rage towards the ground.

Lovina was flattered: No one had ever gotten this worked up over her before.

"Fine," Lovina turned her back on the Spaniard. "I guess that we're both sore losers then." The Italian walked away, deciding that it was best if she gave the bastard some time to cool off. Everyone had a limit and perhaps Lovina went a little too far this time, pushing all the wrong buttons in all the right places.

Bending over to pick up her bag from the bleachers, the Italian heard the Spaniard shout out at her from halfway across the field. "Mark my words Lovina Vargas. I will NEVER give up on you and I won't stop until you're mine. YOU HEAR ME?!"

Lovina turned around to face the screaming boy, smiling as she watched him wave his hands at her like the moronic (cute) bastard that he was. "Ok _Stronzo,"_ the Italian whispered as a sly grin crept onto her face. "Let's see what you got."

* * *

 **Cheya's POV:**

"OH CHEYA?" my roommate's voice sang from downstairs in a voice that was way too happy for how early it was. I groaned and checked the clock on my night stand. Twelve PM. Yup. Still too early. I flipped the covers over my head and tried to drown out the Canadian's pleas and coos. At the moment, Maddie was trying to coax me with all things food. It wasn't a bad idea really. I just like my sleep even more.

"There's something downstairs for you.~"

 _I'm listening._

"It's from Arthur~!"

 _I'm intrigued._

"It's something yummy~!"

 _I'm interested._

"It's candy~!"

 _I'm Gone._

"Coming," I screamed. I sprang out of bed. My knee's nearly gave out as I wobbled forward. The dizziness of sleeping for over 14 hours must have affected my coordination. Tch! Don't' judge me. I hadn't gotten that much sleep over the past couple of days. Arthur had assigned us two papers, as if one wasn't enough, and of course I had neglected to do them until the last possible minute. The Briton had also played a little role in er, distracting me from my work. It's not my fault ok! Whenever I tried to study, he'd always show up, Pop Tart box in stow, smiling at me with that stupid cocky expression of his that always made me want to punch/ kiss/ squeeze his face all at the same time.

 _Merde,_ was this ever confusing.

Still in my bra and underwear, I sauntered downstairs, yawning as I took in the sight of the kitchen. Across the counter lay a row of cupcake platters and at the end of it lay a candy bouquet full of my favourite chocolate bars: Crunchy, Skor and Coffee Crisp. Hmmmm. Arthur really knew how to use my sweet tooth to his advantage.

"OHHHH," I squealed. I ran into the kitchen so that I could get a good look at the cupcakes, which were again, all of my favourite flavors: Vanilla, birthday cake, and peanut butter. As you can see, I don't discriminate when it comes to sugar; I long for variety.

I ran a hand over the first cupcake box. Stuck to the front of the box was a pink sticky note. I have to admit, this surprised me a little. Arthur hated the colour pink. But then again, he hated everything. Yup. This was definitely Arthur. I recognized the familiar toddler like scribbles that he called his 'writing.'

 _If you eat them all in one day, I'm taking you to the hospital._

I moved onto the second box of cupcakes.

 _I'm serious. This much sugar can't be good for you._

Licking the frosting off of a vanilla cupcake, I moved onto the last box.

 _You're eating one right now aren't you?_

Damn. He could be such a smartass sometimes. I reluctantly grabbed the simple white card resting inside the candy bouquet:

 _Roses are red_

 _Violets are blue_

 _Don't call me when_

 _The sugar kills you_

 _With Love,_

 _Arthur._

"Pancake?!"

"What?!"

"I'M GOING TO KILL HIM."

* * *

AHHHH this was such a pleasure to write!~

Also: Thank you to Crocus, Aquafin, TheBlueAcid, Lessgreat and all my other lovely guest reviews for telling me how much you like the story! It truly means the world to me :D Oh and to the guest reviewer who said that Cheya got a boyfriend faster than expected: Expect the unexpected hahaha. Lots of twists and turns are up my sleeves right now. Oh and I go to University lol I don't go to any traditional schools or anything like that. I've been on break since the 22 (:


	10. Star Spangled Banter

**Star-Spangled Banter:**

 **Alfred's POV:** (1 Year Earlier)

Clenching his fists as if he could contain his rare spurt of anger, the American glared at the Commie sitting in front of him, the smug look on his violet eyes taunting him, provoking him into resorting to his own animalistic inclinations.

 _He's just trying to make you angry_.

Alfred took a deep breath. If he gave in to his anger, if he showed his raw emotions, then that would only mean defeat. And the American wasn't about to let that happen. "So?" Alfred slapped his hands against the oak wood desk, mischief sparkling in his electric cerulean eyes as he attempted to rouse a reaction, no matter how slight, from his Russian professor. "Looks like you're not going to change my mark, huh?"

Braginski leered back at the American, that irritating childlike smile plastered on his face as he chuckled. The Russian clapped his hands together, jolly intent in mind, but to Alfred it was nothing other than menacing. Almost like how a mafia boss claps his hands, ordering his cronies to deliver the final blow to those who went against him. It was cowardly; the Russian knew that he had all the power in the situation, yet that didn't stop him from exploiting it to the fullest. Braginski leaned back into his chair, feeding off of the American's irritations as he used it to fuel his complacent rebuttal. "Mr. Jones, surely you know that the marks have already been finalized. Any last questions before I let you go?" The Russian asked with a patronizing smirk.

Knowing that his time would be better spent elsewhere, the American stood up and slapped his backpack over his shoulder. "NOPE!" Alfred bellowed in a voice that reeked with false positivity, immediately causing his stomach to lurch with disgust. That Commie bastard always had a way of getting under his skin and he always did it in a way that seemed so serene, suppressed even. It was if he was holding back his true nature, the calmness of his demeanor masking the ruthless and brutal behavior that Alfred knew lurked behind that Russian's supposedly 'naïve' composure. Every move that the Russian made was calculated, planned meticulously so that he could always be one step ahead of everyone else. To the American, it was all an act.

Alfred placed a hand on the doorknob, shoulders tensed, knowing all too well what would happen before he left. "All the best on your next semester Mr. Jones. I highly recommend that you use the services that we have available at the Student help center. It'll help with your writing, da?" Perfect. One last smug comment was all that the American needed right now. The Russian clearly enjoyed digging into the American's pride.

"Thanks 'Sir', I'll be sure to do that."

 _Fake smile. Turn around. Don't give the bastard the satisfaction,_ the American drilled into his head.

'When Alfred walked out into the hallway, only then did he choose to retaliate. "Yeah, on my dead body you Russian bastard." Feet trudging as he walked, the American whistled along to his country's national anthem, hoping to blow off some of the steam that still lingered after his heated encounter with Braginski. Alfred hardly let his anger get the best of him, but something about that guy always threw him into a frenzy. It was if the two were participating in a silent competition, their rivalry growing as the semester went on, distasteful glares reciprocated, but neither of them choosing to confront each other head on.

Who could have the best boast? Who could have the best argument? Which country had the best economic system? (Capitalism, obviously). These were the things that Alfred always argued in his papers despite the Russian's obvious left winged standing. The American stood up for what he believed in: he wasn't a blank slate that could molded and schemed into blurting out the propagandistic bullshit that streamed out of his professor's mouth. It sickened him to think that so many students had been coerced into writing papers that stroked that bastard's ego, freedom of individuality being swept away as students struggled to gain afloat on the crashing tides of academic bias. Perhaps, the American was ignorant to other mindsets, but one thing's for sure, he wasn't going to roll over and let someone forcefully change his opinion.

Realizing that he was still letting his anger get the best of him, Alfred decided to sit on one of the benches resting outside his professor's office. The American took a deep breath as he attempted to calm himself down. Alfred didn't notice the girl sitting next to him until he heard her utter a not-so-subtle cough. The American turned to meet a pair of lilac eyes, which at the moment, were currently glowering at him with a reticent look of irritation. "Excuse me, but there are plenty of other benches to sit at," she hissed.

The girl was right, there was at least another dozen or so benches lined up against the wall. Alfred, for once in his life, was short of words. The American was too dumbfounded to speak. Mesmerized by the tiny girl sitting next to him, Alfred swallowed, his eyes carefully grazing over the delicate features of her pale face. She looked exotic, but the American couldn't quite place where she came from. Long platinum blonde hair poured to reach halfway down the girl's waist, looking soft in spite of the hard glare that the doll-like girl was currently smelting him with. "Sorry about that, I won't be long…" the American's voice faltered when he heard the girl clack a black pumped heel against the ground loudly.

The Belarusian's slender fingers reached into her designer purse. The girl then pulled out a nail file. "Never mind," she muttered. The Belarusian crossed her legs and began to file at her already perfectly manicured nails. Slightly intrigued by this new mystery girl, Alfred snuck another glance at her from the corner of his eye. He supposed that she was pretty, but he couldn't shake himself from the cold aura that she encompassed herself with. It was if the girl had no emotion, her face frozen in a neutral expression as she filed away at her nails, not giving a damn about the world or the current events surrounding her.

Lips puckered into concentration, the American analyzed the girl, looking over every detail of her as he searched for something to say, hoping that he could break the awkward silence that had fallen between them. The girl reached into the pockets of her artfully ripped denim jeans and pulled out her phone. "I like your jeans," Alfred blurted out much to his own surprise and chagrin. Of all the things to say he chose to compliment her on her clothes?!

The girl turned to Alfred and raised a pale brow at him. "Don't act like you actually care," she scoffed. "Just because you're sitting next me, it doesn't mean that you're obligated to make small talk." And with that, the girl went back to filing away at her nails, acting as if nothing had happened. The Belarusian was completely impassive to the American's peaking interest.

"No, it's not like that," the American protested, clearly flustered by the brashness of this strange girl. "I really do like your jeans." Not knowing what to do, Alfred continued to ramble on, secretly despising himself for acting so impulsively. "The name's Alfred Jones, nice to meet you." Alfred held out a hand for the girl, but she didn't seem to be too keen on shaking hands with it. Instead she looked at his hand, a puzzled look forming on her face as she eyed the American with a wary look. Doubt flickered in the girl's eyes, her shoulders tensing with apprehension. The American flashed the Belarusian with an encouraging smile. "Careful," he teased. "I might bite your hand off."

The girl seemed to recoil at this comment. "Listen, I don't know who put you up to this, but this isn't some fucking joke," she seethed.

Alfred's hands snapped back to his side. "Look, I'm sorry if I did anything to piss you off, but I was only trying to be friendly," he defended.

"Natalia," she murmured.

"What?"

The girl turned to face Alfred again, her eyes carrying nothing more than a blank and remotely impartial expression. "Natalia, my name's Natalia," she repeated. The Belarusian then turned her back on the American as she was already disinterested with their conversation. But Alfred wasn't done yet. It was strange, but the American found himself captivated by those strange lilac orbs of hers. He wondered what they would look like if she smiled.

"Nice to meet you Natalia," he beamed.

Natalia didn't answer back, so Alfred went back to peaking at her whenever he was sure that she wasn't looking. But the more that he stared at her, the more perplexed that the American became. Only moments ago he had seen this girl reveal a hint of emotion, however small, before she lapsed back into a state of indifference. The oddness to her behavior boggled his mind. And as the American's curiosity grew, so did his impatience.

Who was this girl and why did she fascinate him so? And why her? Alfred had plenty of girls to his beckoning call, yet this girl, this woman stared at him, uncaring and apathetic to his charms, avoiding him as if he were the devil himself. Most girls would jump at the chance to talk him, but Natalia wasn't like that. She was different and as frustrating as it was for him to figure out why, the American found himself ogling at the girl, a bewildered expression forming on his face as he tried, unsuccessfully, to maintain a composed look.

"Oh Natalia, were you waiting for me?" Alfred's head snapped to the side when he heard a chilling, yet all too familiar voice. With a irritatingly jolly step to his walk, Braginski strolled over to the bench that the American and Belarusian were sitting at. The Russian smirked when he took notice to the scowling American sitting before him. "Ah, Mr. Jones, perhaps you forgot to ask me a question, _da_?"

The American watched, unnerved, as he saw Natalia's face light up with excitement, her lips curling into the first genuine smile that he had ever seen her make. The Belarusian's eyes gleamed with adoration. A feral growl resonated deep within the American's throat.

Why could Braginski of all people make her smile?

"Brother!" Natalia squealed. The Belarusian stood up and immediately latched herself onto the Russian's arm.

 _So she's his brother_ , Alfred deadpanned.

"Sis please," the Russian pleaded with his unprecedentedly ecstatic sister. "People are going to get the wrong idea," he whispered in Russian.

"Fine," she pouted.

"Do you know Mr. Jones, Natalia?"

"Oh no. He was just sitting here," the Belarusian remarked in an offhand voice. Alfred felt as if he had just been stabbed him in the chest. Suffocated by feelings of disappointment, the American watched, helplessly, as Natalia walked off with Braginski, looking happier than he had ever seen her before.

Jealousy clouded over Alfred's vision, his hands balling into tight fists and his nails digging into his skin carelessly as the image of Natalia's dainty smile played over and over in his head, burning through his defenses and attacking his self-pride with a ruthless vigor. The girl had grounded him, stripped him of his confidence, and for once in his life, Alfred was now the one to do the chasing. Whether it was to satisfy his ego or to answer his raging curiosity, or perhaps even for both of those reasons, the American now knew what he had to do. "Oh Natalia," he chuckled to himself. "No girl is immune to a hero's charms."

~It was on this day that the American vowed to make the Belarusian smile. ~

* * *

 **Alfred's POV:**

Two weeks had passed since Alfred had last seen that strange lilac-eyed women.

Natalia Braginski.

That name seemed to have ingrained itself inside Alfred's head, lurking around his waking thoughts and taunting him with the void of information that he had yet to fill. Alfred yearned to learn more about the Belarusian. The American's curiosity had reached levels so unbearable that his heart fluttered with angst. Questions about this woman nagged at the back of his mind, stirring him into a frenzied state of helpless frustration.

Something about this girl clicked in the American's head, evoking a sense of familiarity and longing that he could never seem to satisfy. Alfred was smitten with this girl and desperately so. The American vied for answers and he had searched all over campus for any trace of the stoic Belarusian.

Thankfully, his search hadn't come up empty. The American had managed to find a few things about Natalia, but only in a humble, hero-like way. He didn't stalk her on Facebook or anything. Alfred had asked a few people about her, and much to the American's initial surprise, Natalia was actually a well known figure through out the campus. The responses that Alfred received, however, were quite mixed. As if the girl was torn away from the herds and raised to her own pin point, boys would go out of their way to avoid Natalia, their eyes practically bulging out of their sockets whenever Alfred mentioned her name to them.

 _"Are you crazy?!"_

 _"She's Braginski's Sister!"_

 _"Dude, you're signing your own death wish!"_

But Alfred didn't heed any attention to their warnings. The American hungered for knowledge about this girl and so he continued on with his quest, pestering any willing person to tell him what they knew about the Belarusian. Alfred had managed to find out simple things about Natalia. Facts about how she was the same age as him. Or that she was majoring in Political Science. Alfred also had also learned that she had an acute interest in darts. But this wasn't what Alfred was looking for. He was looking for the deeper secrets. The one's that revealed the enigmas riddled within the taut Belarusian girl. The one's that ruthlessly teased the American as he remained stuck in an ignorant stupor.

It was out of pure luck that the American spotted the Belarusian studying in the Britannia library. Shoulders hunched and long sleek hair covering her face as she studied, Natalia immersed herself in a textbook. Slender hands scribbled onto her notebook as she flipped from page to page, her eyebrows furrowed into concentration. The Belarusian's attention was completely oblivious to the world around her.

Alfred watched Natalia study like this for minutes on end, carefully peaking at her through the protective encasing of a bookshelf. The serene expression etched on the Belarusian's face made the American's stomach flip with a sense of uneasiness. Call it one of his bad habits, but the American had a tendency to act impulsively. It took every ounce of his will power not to disrupt the girl, so in order to distract himself, Alfred decided to pull out a random book from the bookshelf.

As if he was in a corny romance story, the Hero struck out.

With a loud crash, a pile of books tumbled to the floor. Alfred had the pleasure of gracing his face with one of them. Searching for his now missing glasses, the American pawed at the floor. Alfred's search came up empty. A terrifying thought surfaced in his mind: what if Natalia saw him like this? She wasn't that far away, so surely she must have heard something. This only made the American more frantic as he patted the ground, sweat dripping off of his brow as he tried to contain the panic that ballooned in his chest.

"Hello?" A horrified expression crossed over Alfred's face. A blurry figure was approaching towards him. "Mr. Jones?" the person spoke again.

"Er, Hello," the American laughed nervously. Damn from this angle, the figure sort of looked like Natalia. If he squinted his eyes, he could make out a thinly framed figure and long blonde hair: Yup. This was definitely the Belarusian girl that he had sought after. Too bad he probably looked like a gawking idiot just about now.

"What are you doing?" she asked in what Alfred pegged to be an amused tone.

"Ah, nothing. Just checking the carpet to see if there were any stains!" the American lied as he held up his massive hands for the girl to see. "All clear!"

Natalia didn't believe his ruse for a second. "Didn't you wear glasses before?"

"Aww! But a Hero always likes a challenge."

 _Play dumb. Play Dumb._

"Or you're just too much of a dumbass to ask for help," she mused. Alfred felt something tap against his hands. "Here, wouldn't want you to trip over your own ass." Although Alfred couldn't see her face, he could tell by the tone of her voice that the girl was smirking. Alfred reluctantly took his glasses from her. Fixing his glasses onto his face, the American beamed at the Belarusian girl. He couldn't help it. Perhaps it was the bright light of the library, or maybe his vision was still a little hazy as his eyes readjusted, but something about that girl always seemed to leave him in a state of entrancement. Whatever it was, the American had found himself ensnared in a trap, lured in by both the secrets and grace that this woman held herself with. It was absolutely maddening.

 _All Heroes express their gratitude._

Alfred looked up to thank the Belarusian. "Thank y-!…Oh she's gone." Yeah, sometimes that happened. The American frequently let his imagination get the best of him, which usually resulted in some pretty kick ass day dreams. Ones where he imagined saving the day, a moronic grin plastered on his face as he basked in the divine feeling of victory. Bathing in the valiant glory of restoring justice upon the world. The Hero, with his all mighty strength, defeats the dark tendrils of Communism, bringing freedom and prosperity to the people. They chant his name over and over again, grateful tears streaming down their cheeks as they vie for their saviors attention. They want nothing more than to touch him, to rid themselves from the plagued roots of authoritarianism. To free themselves from the horrendous terrors of political oppression and enslavement...

 _"Alfred!" "Alfred!" Alfred!"_

"MR. JONES?!"

Oh. He was daydreaming again, wasn't he?

"Fuck! What!?" a flustered Alfred stammered. The American attempted to gain his bearings before he dared say anything more.

Library. Natalia. Floor. Books.

Alfred's brain spluttered, slow and steady as the engine turned on, gears whirring as he realized his unfortunate predicament. The American winced when he remembered how he had sworn at her. And what a fatal mistake that was.

Natalia hovered over Alfred. Glowering down at the American, the Belarusian clutched onto a single book in her hand. "Listen up you ignorant fool. Normally when people try to help you, you thank them." The Belarusian growled as she released the book from her grip. Natalia looked more than pleased when she watched the book crack on top of the American's head.

Letting out an unmanly yelp, the American was floored with one fell swoop. Dazed and wide cerulean eyes looked up to the raging lilac eyes resting before them. The Belarusian's lips curled into a bared snarl. Her eyes sparkled with malice, but Alfred found himself turned on by the girl's sudden animation. The American smirked at the foreign goddess standing before him. He was amused and perhaps even a bit aroused by the emotional reaction that he had managed to get out of her. Alfred's chest soared over the fact that all of this emotion was directed towards him and him only. "Why hello angel," he purred.

Perhaps he was still a bit dizzy from having a book thrown onto his head.

"What the fuck? I didn't hit you that hard. I made sure not to strike anything vital," Natalia's brows furrowed into a frown. "Oh. But maybe I dented his skull. Hmmmmm," the Belarusian muttered to herself.

"My skull's fine darling," the American slurred.

In an instant, Alfred was thrown onto his feet. The Belarusian's nails dug into the thick leather of his jacket as she dragged him around the bookcase and towards her study table.

"I'm not about to have a law suit on my hands," Natalia snarled as she practically threw the American into a chair. "Now sit," she demanded as if he hadn't already been forced to do that very action. Alfred sat with a giddy expression on his face. The Belarusian eyed the American, her lips puckered into a concentrated grimace as she inspected him from head to toe. "Come here," the American drawled. Alfred beckoned for Natalia to sit closer to him.

Ignoring his comment, Natalia raised one hand in front of the American, her fingers forming the peace sign as she glared at the ditsy boy sitting in front of her. "How many fingers?" she demanded. When Alfred didn't respond, Natalia waved a hand in front of his face. The American's eyes slowly lolled from side to side.

Natalia cursed under her breath. "Fuck," she mumbled.

Alfred pouted. "You're too hard on yourself," he whined.

"Mr. Jones?"

Alfred yawned. "Call me Alfred."

Natalia placed both hands on her hips. "Ok, 'Alfred', how are feeling?"

Alfred stared at the Belarusian and smiled. "You're beautiful you know that?" he remarked.

"OH FUCK I REALLY BROKE HIM," the Belarusian despaired. Natalia began to pace back and forth, her eyes wild and her pale blonde hair whipping behind her as she stirred herself into a hysteric frenzy.

"I'm not broken," Alfred protested. The Belarusian paid him no attention.

Alfred's eyelids became heavy. He was just a bit sleepy. The American's shoulders slouched and his eyelids began to droop. His vision was failing him. The blissful feeling of relaxation started to over come his body. Alfred was helpless as the Belarusian slowly faded away from his line of sight.

"ALFRED?!"

"Whaaaaaaat?"

"Snap out of it!"

 _Oh._

"Huh?" the American shook his head and sat up, blinking at the bright ceiling lights that glared into his face. Come to think of it, the wooziness that he had felt before was beginning to ware off. The only thing that he felt right now was a throbbing pain in the back of his head. Alfred chuckled. The American placed a hand at the back of his neck, his cheeks flushing out of embarrassment. "Sorry about that." The Belarusian waved off his comment with an indignant huff.

Natalia sat down across the table from Alfred. The worry that she had shown before had disappeared from her facial expression entirely. The Belarusian's brows furrowed into its residual arch as she began to flip through her textbook again. The American gawked at the Belarusian. He was fixated by the way in which the light bounced off her pale hair. Alfred watched as the Belarusian's fingers delicately grazed over the pages that she diligently continued to flip through. A faint look of captivation peaked on her face whenever she came across something that she deemed to be interesting. Enraptured in his observation of her, the American hummed under his breath. Alfred wasn't aware of the girl's irritated sighs. The Belarusian's pencil snapped with each time that the American increased his humming volume.

Eventually, Alfred's ignorance became too much for Natalia to handle. "CAN you stop with that humming already?" she hissed.

"Sorry," Alfred apologized. "I didn't realize."

Natalia made a shooing motion at Alfred. "You can go now. You seem fine." The American stifled a scowl. He would not be dismissed that easily. Hell no.

"And what if I want to stay?"

Alfred watched as the girl's face flickered with hesitation, her eyes peering at the American, analyzing him as if she were searching for cracks in his appearance. The Belarusian was looking for something that would justify her dislike of him. Eyebrows raised in a skeptical manner, Natalia let out an incredulous snort. "Nice one jackass. What's next? Are you going to ask me for my hand in marriage?"

Although the girl had played this off as a crude joke, Alfred couldn't help but notice the small look of hurt that lurked behind the Belarusian's seemingly nonchalant expression. He would have been fooled too if it hadn't been for her eyes. Behind the Belarusian's sly smile, however brief that it had appeared, lay doubt, and with doubt came mistrust. Deep down, this girl had been hurt, and judging by how apprehensive she acted towards strangers, the Belarusian had yet to recover from such a betrayal.

"I'm not joking Natalia. I really would like to be your friend."

Alfred's eyes went wide. There it was again. No matter how brief it was, the girl's eyes glinted with hope, only to be replaced by that same hard defensive expression that she always fell back on. Natalia grit her teeth. She let her anger encase her. She was sparing herself from feeling the pain of other emotions.

"Just leave. I'm giving you ten seconds," the Belarusian warned, but she wasn't fooling the American anytime soon. She was testing him, watching to see if he would leave. She already had the preconceived notion that he would overlook her. That he would deem her to be unworthy of his time.

 _"A Hero never gives up."_

Looking Natalia straight in the eye, Alfred slapped his hands against the table. The American was angry over the fact that she had negated her self-worth so easily. He hated how she brushed herself off as if she hadn't even mattered. She mattered damnit. It was about time that she knew that. "And I'll give you ten reasons why I want to stay with you," he growled back. "1. You're smart. 2. You're independent. 3. You're beaut–"

"Just shut up!" she raged. "You can stay but for the love of God, just cut it with that sappy romance crap!"

Alfred winked at the flustered Belarusian. "Who said anything about Romance?"

Natalia's eyes flashed with a murderous glint. "Call 911."

"Why?"

"I've got an appointment."

"With what?"

"THE OTHER HALF OF YOUR SKULL."

* * *

~Text Messaging: Present Day ~

* * *

Alfred: Hey Nat :D

Alfred: ):

Alfred: How come you never answer meeeee?

Alfred: Hey guess what?

Natalia: How tf did you get my number?

Alfred: I'm not telling you ;)

Natalia: W.e stop texting me, I'm in class.

Alfred: And if I don't?

Natalia: You know that flag pole outside of the Gaul building?

Alfred: Yeah...why?

Natalia: Consider that your new home.

Alfred: What?

Natalia: Well since you American's love to 'hang around'...

Alfred: NAT! So violent ):

Natalia: You still owe me for that dart board. Asshole.

Alfred: I promised that I would get you a new one didn't I?

Natalia. Fine. Whatever.

Alfred: Is there anything else that I can do for you?

Alfred: Nat?

Natalia: Maybe…

Alfred: Tell me!

Natalia: I have dorm watch tonight and I wanted to go to the video store…

Alfred: Annnnnd?

Natalia: I wanted to rent a horror movie…

Alfred: DONE :D

Alfred: Which one?

Natalia: Sinister, I think.

Alfred: OHHHHH! That one's scary!

Natalia: Wimpy ass American.

Alfred: Hey! I was just kidding ;)

Alfred: A hero never gets scared!

Natalia: I beg to differ.

Natalia: Arthur told me that you dusted your entire house with salt after seeing Paranormal Activity 3.

Alfred: ALL LIES I TELL YOU!

Alfred: How about we have a little wager?

Natalia: I'm listening.

Alfred: I'll watch the movie with you and if I don't get scared, you have to go out on a date with me.

Natalia: You're implying that I want to spend time with you.

Alfred: I'm not done. If I lose you can get something out of it too.

Natalia: Like what?

Alfred: That's up to you Nat :D

Natalia: Fine, you get to be my slave for the week.

Alfred: ;)

Natalia: ?

Alfred: Oh Nat, so Innocent ;)

Natalia: I don't get it.

Alfred: Oh you'll find out soon enough ;)


	11. Dart to Date Me?

**Dart to Date Me?**

* * *

Alfred: Hey Nat….?

Natalia: What?

Alfred: The store didn't have the movie.

Natalia: I expected as much from you.

Alfred: WAIT! I'M NOT DONE!

Alfred: How about I take you to a movie tonight?

Natalia: Wow, you really are a moron. I already told you that I have duty tonight.

Alfred: Ditch it :D

Natalia: And why would I do that?

Alfred: Because I bought us tickets.

Natalia: For what?

Alfred: You haven't said no yet :P

Natalia: Get on with it Jones.

Alfred: Yes ma'am ;)

Alfred: I got tickets to this cool new action movie :D

Natalia: I like Horror.

Alfred: I like you ;)

Natalia: Even more reason not to go.

Alfred: Please Nat ):

Alfred: Nat?

Natalia: Moron.

Alfred: But I'm still Lovable!

Alfred: Oh, and I'll buy that nasty yogurt thingy that you like.

Natalia: Blueberry frozen yogurt?

Alfred: Ack. All healthy stuff sounds the same to me.

Natalia: Moron.

Alfred: I've bribed you with food and a free ticket...so will you come with me?!

Alfred: Pweease :p?

Natalia: I stand corrected: You're a manipulative Moron.

Alfred: So?

Natalia: Idk.

Alfred: Tell you what, if you don't enjoy it, I'll become your 'slave' for the rest of the year.

Natalia: Deal. I could use a new dartboard.

Alfred: Hey! I already told you that I was going to buy you a new one D:

* * *

 **Cheya's POV:**

"Maddie! Come here. Look at this one," I squealed.

Maddie poked her head out of the kitchen and groaned. "Wait, don't tell me. It's another picture of a cat in a Christmas sweater," she mumbled. Well she wasn't wrong. I was waiting for Arthur to come over, so distracting myself with tumblr was the most effective method of wasting time. Besides, it looked like Maddie could use a bit of cheering up right about now. A few minutes ago she had received a mysterious phone call. I had no idea what was going on, since she had gone up into her room so that she could speak in private. The Canadian knew that had she stayed downstairs, I would have listened to every word of her conversation. Albeit her assumption being true, I still felt a bit disgruntled about her lack of trust. What I did know, however, was that the person on the other end of the line knew how to get under Maddie's skin. The Canadian, after her phone call, was quite flustered to say the least.

Ravenously crunching down on a piece of bacon, Maddie restlessly paced back and forth in the kitchen. The Canadian's face filled with dread when she looked at the time on the stove. "Hey!" I protested. "Cats are beautiful creatures. Fools, but still beautiful nonetheless." Maddie's nostrils flared upon checking the time again. I frowned with concern. "Who are you waiting for?" I pried.

Maddie's brows furrowed into an angry scowl. The Canadian's shoulders had tensed in response to my intrusive question.

I raised a brow at my roommate and put on my best mock detective face. "Mysterious guy huh?" I teased.

"It's none of your business!" she snapped, although I couldn't help but notice how her voice wavered, almost as if she herself was unsure as to what she was doing. She looked skeptical, perhaps even doubtful. Maddie avoided my skeptical gaze. The Canadian then started to rummage through the fridge. Ah. She was trying to distract herself with food. Food would act as the outlet for which she could erase her worries and forget about her imminent meeting with this mysterious stranger.

Ignoring my roommate's unexpected outburst, I continued to press on. "Pancake, you shouldn't be so secretive," I scolded, waggling my finger at her as I for once took on the motherly role.

"You're the one to talk," she scoffed. "I'm the only one who knows about you and Arthur. You haven't even told Gilbert or Antonio yet."

I grimaced. Ouch. Way to lay on the guilt trip there Maddie.

For our own safety, Arthur and I had agreed to keep our relationship a secret. Only until after the semester ended would we be allowed to tell anyone about it. It was painful for me to live with this secret. It really was. So badly did I want to tell my friends about him. Well, at least I had been able to tell Bella about Arthur. I had found a loop hole in Arthur's rule of not telling anyone on campus. Regardless, my friends have been a part of my life for so long that anything that I kept from them felt unfair. It was if I was cheating them of their more than well-earned right to know.

I inhaled deeply through my nostrils and closed my eyes. Maddie was only flustered. I would do no good if I were to snap back at her.

"To be fair, my friend Bella knows about our relationship," I countered. Maddie winced under my scolding glare. "And you know that what we're doing is for the best. If the wrong person found out, we'd both be in trouble."

"I know," Maddie sighed. "Arthur won't let me hear the end of it either."

"Pancake, I can't even kiss the boy in public without him smacking me over the head."

Maddie seemed to perk up at that thought. "I'd like to see that," she grinned.

"Careful oh timid one, I may or may not eat the rest of the maple syrup when you're gone," I threatened.

"Now I really don't want to go!" Maddie wailed. Curling her hands into fists, Maddie eyed the wall, her lips pursed into a tight grimace as she began to bang her head against the plastered surface. I'll admit, it was a pretty sore sight to see. It was obvious that something was bothering her, and judging by how jittery she was acting right now, coaxing her into talking to me wasn't going to be an easy task.

"Hey, I'm sure that you'll be fine with whatever you're planning to do tonight," I whispered. Right now I had to tread carefully. I had to choose my words wisely. After all, I had a disconcerted roommate to console. Amber eyes met wide violet ones. I walked into the kitchen and leaned against the counter. "Spill," I demanded.

Shrinking away from my analytical gaze, Maddie fidgeted with the strings of her Toronto Maple Leaf Hoodie. "Erm, let's just say that this guy is called 'Fritz'. Well Fritz is offering to tutor me for... 'educational' purposes," Maddie paused in her ramblings when she noticed my perverted grin. "Certainly NOT in the way that you're thinking of!" The Canadian huffed when I let out a suggestive moan.

"Oh, Maple! Right there baby," I swooned. I leaned on the counter for support and cupped my (non-existent) breasts with both hands.

"I wouldn't suggest doing that in front of Arthur," Maddie giggled. "The second hand embarrassment would probably kill him." I smiled. My friends gloomy demeanor had finally lifted. The Canadian's eyes sparkled with amusement and her chest shook with bubbly fits of laughter.

"Don't forget about the nosebleed," I added, also giggling. I then flashed Maddie with a provocative wink. "I'm pretty sexy, you know."

With a sigh, Maddie leaned against the fridge. The Canadian's shoulders slumped. "I'm just surprised that you've put up with him after everything that he did."

"Don't worry. I make sure to tease the hell out of him for it."

"Well, at least you can stand up to him," Maddie whined. " 'Fritz' loves to bug me."

"Bug him back."

Maddie gave me an incredulous look. "That would only encourage the asshole."

Bumping hips with Maddie playfully, and by playfully I mean slam into her with every ounce of strength that a 5'2 100 pound girl could muster, I pinned the squirming Canadian against the fridge. "Beat the boy!" I cried.

Face still squished up against the side of the fridge, I heard Maddie mumble a string of incoherent curse words. Probably something like, "Maple! That darn French woman is crazy!"

"Cheya?"

"Hmmmm?"

"If I tell you, will you get off?

Peeling myself off of the trembling Canadian, I waved a dismissive hand at her. "I already knew that you were lying pancake. But do yourself a favour; don't let 'Fritz' get under your skin. You're above that. Now go before I relent and pester you for more information."

Maddie nervously bit her lip. "We're not supposed to meet for another half hour or so and I don't want him to get the wrong idea about me being eager for..." The Canadian's brows furrowed with strained contemplation. She was clearly choked for words."…our tutoring sessions," Maddie finished with a wince.

"Honey, Arthur's going to be here any minute, do you really want to stick around?"

"God no. The amount of times that I've caught you two making out…"

"What can I say" I beamed. "The French love to express themselves."

"They also have no sense of decency," the Canadian grumbled to herself.

* * *

 **Cheya's POV:**

A grumpy Briton sat to next to me on the couch. Said grumpy arse's hands furiously scribbled across the stack of history papers that he had taken upon to mark. Other than the occasional scoff or irritated pen clicking, the room was silent. Tiringly so too.

I stared at Arthur, smirking when I our eyes met. Wearing nothing but a frilly pair of booty shorts and a low cut spaghetti shirt, I arched my back. My eyes never wavered from Arthur's shrewd stare. I pouted my lips and sighed. Face flushing to an adorable shade of red, Arthur averted his gaze to the ground. His gentlemen instincts must have kicked in. He was sparing me from being ogled at. But he wasn't fooling me any time soon. I saw passion flicker in those green eyes of his, however brief, before he quickly retained his scowling composure.

I reached out a hand to stroke his cheek bone. "You know, you've been marking those papers for a long time now," I pouted. Arthur's facial muscles tensed at my touch. _Merde._ Did he ever drive me crazy. His hair, perfect in its messy glory, fell just above his eyebrows. I felt the sudden urge to smooth it back. "There," I declared. "Now I can see your eyes!"

All I received was a cold glare. Oh. How silly of me. He was still mad over the fact that Maddie had left. Since she was his cousin, people wouldn't get suspicious if he visited, but now that we were alone, Arthur was worried about getting caught. I retracted my arm and shuffled over to the end of the couch. I decided to give him some space to cool off. "Call me over you decide to lighten up," I huffed.

No answer.

"I guess that I'll just have to talk to myself then." "Hey Cheya how are you?" "I'm good and you Cheya?"

"Pretty good, just a little frustrated with my 'handsome' boyfriend." "Oh no! What happened?"

"Nothing really just—"

Without even looking at me, Arthur clamped a hand over my mouth. My one man conversation had been halted. "Just shut up," he growled. Arthur's hands snapped back to his side when I stopped with my erratic mumbling.

"Arthur, look at me!" I pouted but to no avail. I crawled over to the Briton and leaned against his side. I purred as I brushed my lips against the tips of his now reddening ears. "Please?" I cooed. When he didn't answer, I pecked his cheek, hoping to rouse a reaction out of him, even if it was an angry one.

It worked.

"Bloody hell Cheya. I'm trying to work," he complained, although the dark look in his eyes said otherwise. Arthur's stubborn facial expression softened. The Briton's shoulders relaxed with the defeat of allowing me to kiss his cheek again. But I wasn't going to let him have it so easy. Oh no. He was going to have work for it.

I stood up from the couch and pulled my hair out of its pigtails. For good measure, I ran a hand through my hair. I lived to tease him, after all. "Fine," I scoffed. "I'm getting something to eat."

In an instant, Arthur latched onto my wrist. The Briton pulled me towards him and I fell, ungracefully, into his lap. My hair fell into my face. Thankfully too because it was burning with the intensity of a fierce blush. I shied away from Arthur, hopelessly stuck as I tried to free myself from the Briton's firm grasp. "A-Arthur, the papers are getting all bent."

Arthur chuckled darkly. "Silly French woman, that's the least of my worries right now," he murmured. I stared into those abysmal green eyes of his, getting lost in the triumphant smirk that he now held on his lips. The Briton cupped my face and pulled me in for a kiss. I relented and began to kiss back. I sighed and ran my hands through his hair. Arthur's hands wandered closer to my waist. The Briton chuckled when I let out a high-pitched squeak of surprise.

 _KNOCK. KNOCK._

"Ack!" I stumbled off of Arthur and fell to the ground with a painful smack. "Hide!" I hissed. Arthur dove behind the couch, while our 'uninvited guest' started to fumble with the door knob.

"MADDIE? OPEN UP, IT'S AN EMERGENCY!" a loud voice bellowed from the other side of the door.

My eyebrows furrowed into a frown. Was this the 'Fritz' that Maddie was talking about?

I sprinted over to the door and peered through the peephole. "ALFRED?!" I screamed. Arthur poked his head out of his hiding place. "What the fuck is he doing here?" he mouthed. I frowned. I wasn't fluent in angry British sign language.

"CHEYA? YOU LIVE HERE?"

"U-Um yeah?"

"IS MADDIE HERE?"

"N-no, but I can take a message if you like," I offered in a suspiciously cheerful voice.

"CAN I COME IN?"

"I'm kind of busy right now…."

"I DON'T CARE. I NEED HELP. ANYONE WOULD DO." I looked to Arthur who was still waving furiously at me. The Briton's eyes widened in fear. He knew what I was about to do.

"Don't!" he cried, but it was already too late.

Opening the door slowly, I peered into the hallway. Dressed in his usual bomber jacket and baggy jeans, stood a frantic looking Alfred. His hair was more mussed up than usual and his glasses stood askew on the bridge of his nose.

"Thanks. Can I come in?" Regardless of what my answer was, Alfred barged into my apartment.

"KIRKLAND?!"

"WHAT DO YOU WANT JONES?" Arthur growled back.

" _MERDE!"_ I cried. I ran into the living room and jutted out my arms. I had placed myself in between the feuding cousins.

Looking over my shoulder, Alfred glared at the equally furious Briton. "And just what the fuck are you doing here?"

Arthur tried to skirt around me. I held him in place by grabbing onto his wrist. I made sure to dig my nails deep into his skin. I would gain his compliance much easier that way. "I could ask you the same question," the Briton retorted.

Incredulous, Alfred took of his glasses and cleaned them. A pair of cerulean eyes glowered at me. In all honesty, I was confused too, but the adrenaline of getting caught was still pumping through my veins. My survival instincts had kicked in. I stood my ground and confronted Alfred with an unwavering glare.

Glowering silence.

I sighed. "Now can we talk like civilized people for two min—"

"Look, I can be civilized all you want, but as for this git," Arthur pointed an accusatory finger at a fuming Alfred. "He can't even—"

Alfred's chest puffed up with anger. "FUCK YOU TOO KIRKLAND!"

"ENOUGH!" I raged. I was panting. All of my energy had been depleted. That's what I get for trying to shout over those two idiots. " _You_ ," I jabbed a finger into Alfred's chest. "Need to calm the fuck down." I turned around to face a smug looking Arthur. " _And you_ need to stop provoking him like that. Now go sit on the couch before I strangle you both myself."

"B-BUT" the two cousins spluttered in mutually bashful harmony.

"NOW!" I roared.

Alfred crossed his arms and scowled. "Nah, I'd rather stay here," he huffed. Alfred gave me a sheepish look when I shifted my glare to him. The American accepted his defeat and took a few steps back. Alfred cleared his throat. His eyes darted back and forth across the room. He refused to look me in the eyes. "I'll behave, if he behaves."

Sitting on the couch, the Briton straightened himself into an indignant looking pose. Arthur chuckled. "Why how gentlemanly of you," he remarked with thick sarcasm.

"WHAT DID I SAY ARTHUR?"

"Sorry Love."

"I'm sorry, but did the tea douche just call you love?" With a sickening crunch, the American cracked his knuckles. Alfred loomed over me and scowled. He then looked past my shoulder so that he could aim another rebellious look at Arthur.

"Yes, Alfred we're dating," I stated nonchalantly, brushing off the comment as if I could bring ease to the situation. I was clearly delusional.

"Oh," Alfred inhaled deeply though his nostrils. He was clearly unsatisfied with my answer. "Well, if he does anything stupid, just let me know. I'll be more than happy to strangle him for you," he grumbled.

I turned around to look at Arthur. As expected, the Briton had his mouth open, prepared to usher out another rebuttal. Arthur grudgingly kept his silence when I glowered at him.

"Good boy," I cooed to the disgruntled Briton.

"Aww! You tamed him," Alfred exclaimed. The American's foul mood had shifted back to its residually cheerful state.

"Not quite. He's still a bit of an ass sometimes," I giggled. "But I make do. So, what brought you here Alfred?"

Alfred scratched the back of his head and laughed nervously. "Well, er, I made a little wager with Natalia. She agreed to go on a date with me, but only on one condition: if she doesn't enjoy it, I have to become her slave."

"Aren't you already her slave?" Arthur asked with a smirk.

"It's something called free will fairy boy," Alfred snapped. "Anyways, I came here for some advice, but since Maddie's not here, and since you guys just started dating, perhaps you could help me?" Feet tapping against the ground and eyes wide as saucers, Alfred anxiously awaited my answer. He didn't look at all like the confident boy that I had come to know.

I pursed my lips and analyzed the desperate looking boy standing in front of me. The American's shoulders slumped with defeat. He bit his lip. The apprehension of a potentially doomed date was hanging over his conscience. "Alfred, when's the date?" I inquired.

"In about an hour or so!"

"Perfect!" I grinned. "We'll come on the date and shadow you. How does that sound?"

Alfred clapped a hand over my shoulder. I stifled my wince. "GREAT! See you then," he beamed.

"Don't I get any say in this?" Arthur protested.

"Nope!" I cackled.

* * *

 **Natalia's POV:**

Sitting alone in the dorm's lounge, Natalia absently played with a dart in her hands. Her fingers brushed over it impatiently. She was waiting for Alfred to pick her up for their date. After a year and a half of rejecting the American, stomping over him, insulting him, degrading him, and God knows what else, Natalia tried to sympathize with him. She really did. But she just couldn't bring herself to understand him. He had always forgiven her. He brushed off her crudeness. He wasn't fazed by her vulgarity. And he most certainly wasn't intimidated by her violent tendencies. This irked her. Everything about him annoyed her. The wickedly sweet grin that he always wore on his face. His voice. His height. Everything. 

But today, the Belarusian had decided to give in to the American's pestering. She had never hated him. She could even consider him to be a friend. But this didn't mean that she trusted him entirely. A small part of her had always been skeptical of the American for she feared that he would turn out to be no different than anyone else. She was afraid of growing closer to him. Never again did she want to feel the back stabbing pain of abandonment.

When her mother had passed away in her final year of high school, the Belarusian let herself succumb to the temptation of isolation. She only left her house when it was absolutely necessary. Those who she had thought to be her friends never visited her. Not even once. At school, they avoided her as if she had some sort of demon hanging over her shoulder. It was then that the Belarusian decided that she didn't need any friends. They had failed her in the time that she had needed them most. Devoid of attachments, Natalia could finally live in peace. She would no longer have to face the crushing blows of disappointment once more. Life was much simpler. She didn't have nearly as much people to deal with as before. Natalia found a new rhythm to her life, one that focused on herself and herself only...that is, until she met Alfred.

Originally, Natalia had ignored the American. She hadn't had high hopes for him. She had always assumed that he would lose interest in her over time. However, much to her chagrin, this was not the case. Upon thorough analysis and many trials of ordeals, those of which were mainly beatings, the Belarusian's suspicions were proven to be quite false. Odd as it was, the boy truly cared about her. His eyes would always widen with excitement whenever he asked her a question, grinning like a fool despite the curt, boorish answers that she always would give to him in return. Perhaps this was why the Belarusian had agreed to go out on a date with him in the first place. He had always been so patient with her, and for this, Natalia felt indebted to him.

Natalia's phone buzzed in her pocket. Speak of the moronic devil himself: _I'm in the elevator yo :D_

Sighing, Natalia grabbed her purse. The Belarusian ran a frustrated hand through her hair. A night full of Alfred's childish ploys awaited her. With a sharp ding, the elevator door opened. A more than ecstatic Alfred stepped into the lounge. The American's jaws gaped open in awe as his eyes took in the sight of the dolled up Belarusian. "Nat, you look absolutely beautiful!" he blushed.

The Belarusian frowned. "Let's just get this over with," she said dully. Without a second glance, Natalia pushed past Alfred and stepped into the elevator. Like a lost puppy trailing after his master, Alfred followed her lead. The American was in a giddy state. He couldn't keep still. His feet tapped against the ground and his lips curled into its residual moronic smile.

Natalia scowled _. He could at least be a little more subtle_ , she thought to herself.

Alfred cleared his throat. Natalia's lips twitched. " _Yes,_ Alfred?"

"Oh-uh nothing," the flustered American stammered.

"Let me guess," Natalia mused. "We're stopping at McDonald's on the way to the theatre, right?"

Alfred chest puffed up in mock offense. The Belarusian's jab at his appetite was light-hearted at best. The American raised a brow at the placated Belarusian. "NAT! Have some faith in me, please. I'd never take you there on a date," he scoffed.

"Besides, I already ate four big macs before I got here," he muttered to himself.

* * *

 **Cheya's POV:**

Tickets in hand, I smirked as I watched my boyfriend try to conceal himself behind the concession stand. The Briton's feet tapped against the ground impatiently as he waited for me at our designated meeting place. Eyebrows furrowed into a frown, Arthur stepped out from his hiding place. His shoulders hunched inward as he slowly crept forward. The way that Arthur had his black hoodie pulled over his face made him look like a sketchy drug dealer, and for that, I had to laugh. Catching my eye, Arthur urgently motioned for me to hurry on over to him. Urgency quickly turned to irritation when he heard my giggles. I didn't even try to stifle them.

"What?!" he asked in an exasperated tone.

"Oh nothing," I snickered as I handed over his wallet. "They didn't have change, so I had to pay with my debit card."

This only seemed to agitate Arthur further. "Bullshit. You just paid for them anyways, didn't you?" he growled. Damn. He caught me. But it was only fair! He kept spoiling me with treats every day. I had to compensate for his stubborn, old fashioned form of generosity somehow.

"Fine," I sighed. "If you want to be a gentlemen so badly, why don't you use your eyebrow hair to make me a sweater or something? This T-shirt isn't very warm."

A suspiciously sweet grin etched its way onto Arthur's face. "Come here," he cooed to me in a soft voice.

I backed away. "No thanks," I shrugged. I practically tripped over my feet. Arthur continued to stalk towards me.

"Oh and why not?" the Briton purred as he shamelessly used his height advantage to loom over me. Staring into the Briton's murderous green eyes, I gulped. I knew that I was a goner. "Arthur! Mmmmph!" Arthur's lips crashed onto mine. I had been silenced. The Briton forced open my mouth and his tongue immediately gained the upper hand. After all, he did have the element of surprise on his side.

"OW!" I protested. "Did you just bite my lip?!"

Arthur, the bastard, enlightened me with a cheeky smirk. "Serves you right, love."

* * *

 **Alfred's POV:**

The American sighed, his shoulders slumped as he slouched on the bench lying on the outskirts of the theater's arcade. Natalia had gone to the washroom, so the Hero had been stuck with the task of waiting for her. The American's legs shook with impatience as he ruminated over every possible way that he could impress the Belarusian when she got back. If she ever came back...

Upon hearing the familiar clack of pumped heels, a wide grin returned to the American's face. His face flushed as his attraction to her fluttered deep within the pits of his stomach. Her long platinum blonde hair was tied back into a tight pony tail, which graciously compliments her well rounded cheekbones. The Belarusian's long, sleek legs were adorned in promiscuously tight nylons. Alfred's eyes roamed up and down her thinly framed figure. He appreciated that fact that she had chosen to wear a simple blue and black plaid skirt as opposed to the skin tight skinny jeans that she usually wore. After all, a Hero could only handle so much! The American swallowed, his Adam's apple bulging. Natalia clacked over to him. Lips curling into a jeering smirk, Natalia cocked her head in the direction of the concession stand. "Are you sure that you don't want anything to eat...Alfred?" she taunted.

The American's stomach let out a traitorous growl in response to the Belarusian's tactfully sneaky suggestion. Even though Natalia couldn't hear said traitorous growl over the theater's idle chatter, Alfred's disgruntled demeanor told her everything that she needed to know. Squirming under the Belarusian's smoldering glare, Alfred decided to laugh off her ruse. She was testing his patience by provoking him. She was desperate to grasp onto anything that she could hold against him. But Alfred had prepared himself for this. Natalia had a tendency to lash out at others. She spited and intimidated people until they left her alone. Alfred watched, helplessly, as the Belarusian's body tensed up with unease. Years of riddling mistrust and doubt had caused her to shy away from him. Alfred grit his teeth. He needed to make her feel more comfortable.

Alfred stood up and purposefully banged his knee into corner of the bench. The American's eyes watered with pain. A wry smile curled onto the Belarusian's face.

"See! You're smiling Nat!" he beamed. "That means that you must be enjoying yourself!"

Natalia crossed her arms and let out an indignant huff. "The date hasn't even started yet, moron."

The American chuckled. Genuine laughter spilled from his lips. The Belarusian pouted her lips into an adorable scowl. Alfred, after making subtle eye contact and gaining her permission, clasped the Belarusian's hand into his own. "We still have some time to kill before the movie starts." The American started to tow the Belarusian in the direction of the arcade. "How about we play some air hockey?" he suggested.

Natalia raised a skeptical brow. "Are you sure that you aren't hungry?" she inquired with an all-knowing smirk. The Belarusian, with her free hand, pointed towards the concession stand. The American's empty stomach curdled with another painful growl. He inhaled deeply through his nostrils. The buttery and tempting smell of popcorn indulged his senses. It was practically begging to be eaten. Alfred's eyes lingered over the concession stand. He spared it a longing gaze. Drool formed on the corners of his lips. He was entranced and his hunger was slowly taking over any form of self-control that he had managed to compose himself with.

A person in a black hoodie walked in front of Alfred's view of the candy bar. The man looked up, revealing a familiar pair of bushy eyebrows, messy blond hair, and a stiff upper lip. Alfred cussed under his breath.

 _Damn that idiot. He's going to fuck up everything._

Alfred tugged on Natalia's hand, quickly steered her in the other direction, and laughed all the while doing so. "HAHAHA! A hero can live for days without a full belly," he declared. The American's grip on the Belarusian's hand tightened as he rushed her into the arcade. Alfred led his date to a nearby air hockey table. Natalia gave him a questioning stare. "Well are you going to show me how to play or not?" she asked with a slight amount of shyness to her voice. The Belarusian averted her gaze to the ground.

"Yup! Just give me a second." Bending down into a crouch, Alfred placed a few quarters into the slot located at the side of the air hockey table. "It's pretty easy!" the American picked up the mallet from the table and held it up for the Belarusian to see. "You use this to slam the puck into my goal line." Alfred demonstrated a few swiping motions for her.

A curious expression carved its way onto Natalia's face. Holding her own mallet in her hands, the Belarusian's eyes gleamed with a peaking interest. Natalia reached over the table and grabbed the disc shaped puck. She examined it with slender fingers. Her brows furrowed into a frown. She was attempting to grasp the concept of the game. It didn't take her long to figure it out, however. Stifling her smile, Natalia walked over to the other end of the air hockey table.

Alfred cleared his throat. "Ready?" Natalia's lilac eyes lit up with a competitive flare. Her hands began to twitch with anticipation. She was lively, animated, and determined. Jaw set into a taut grimace, Alfred confronted the Belarusian with an equally determined glare. The American's face curled into a chivalrous smile as he swiped the puck over to her side of the table. "Ladies first."

PLUNK.

The American blinked. The sound of defeat roared in his ears when he looked down and numbly pulled the puck out of his goal slot. Natalia jumped up and down on the balls of her feet, looking quite pleased with herself. The Belarusian revelled in her brief moment of victory. "Did I do it right?" she beamed. The Belarusian's eyes never left the score board that now read 1:0.

Alfred grit his teeth. "Yes ma'am, you most certainly did," he growled. Chest swelling up with a competitive valor, Alfred jabbed a dramatic finger in the ecstatic Belarusian's direction. "GAME ON BRAGINSKI."

The Belarusian's triumphant cry was interrupted when the puck whipped across the table. The familiar ping against the plastic was music to the American's ears. Alfred cocked his head to the side in a mirthful manner. Natalia's face contorted into a glower. Red lips pouted, Natalia frowned. "Fuck you, Jones," she jeered.

"Can't handle the game huuuuuuh?" the American teased with a swaggering smirk.

Grinning from ear to ear, Alfred laughed once more. Happiness ballooned throughout his entire body. Natalia, on the other hand, stomped her feet against the ground. She was more than frustrated. She was livid. Lips now curling into a wicked smile, Natalia plucked the puck into her hands and placed it onto the table. The Belarusian then rolled up the sleeves to her black, cable knitted sweater. "Lucky shot," she huffed. "Now get ready. I'm about to give it my all."

"Sweetheart, I wouldn't have it any other way."

* * *

 **Cheya's POV:**

I reached over my chair to steal some of Arthur's popcorn. The Briton had a serious look on his face. I snickered. Arthur's nose had scrunched up into an adorable frown. His attention was focused on the celebrity movie quiz displayed on the screen.

Arthur smacked my hand away. "Oi! The commercials haven't even started yet. Ugh, are you done yours already?" he whined.

"Keep it down," I hissed. "Natalia might recognize your voice." Even though we were sitting near the top of the theatre, far from Natalia and Alfred's location in the middle, I didn't want to take any chances. Alfred needed me, the all famous love expert, to help him and I couldn't do that if my cover was blown.

"They're not talking much," Arthur remarked.

 _Mon dieu_ , Arthur was right. On top of not speaking to each other, Natalia leaned far away from Alfred. To my utmost horror, the Belarusian had taken to scrolling through her phone.

 _What was Alfred thinking?! Talk to her damnit?!_

Horrified I pulled out my phone and texted Alfred: _Meet me by the concession stand…. NOW!_

* * *

 **Cheya's POV:**

I leaned against the side of the concession stand. My fingers tapped against the glass surface impatiently as I waited for Alfred. "Cheya!" a voice bellowed to my right. I turned around and glared at the wild-eyed and slightly panting American.

The overwhelming smell of McDonald's attacked my nostrils. I took a few steps back. I gagged when my stomach churned uncomfortably. Ignorant to my disgust, Alfred pulled out a burger from his jacket pocket and began to eat. The American devoured the burger in two quick, ravenous bites. "Sorry," he swallowed. "I didn't want to pig out in front of her."

Aw. If I wasn't so disgusted by the smell of grease, I would have been touched.

"Alfred," I groaned. "What happened? I haven't seen you guys talk to each other once."

Alfred pulled out a jumbo sized chocolate milkshake from thin air. Irritating slurping sounds filled the void between us. "Well," the American took another massive guzzle out his drink. "We played air hockey and she got mad when I slipped the puck into her net after the..."

SLURP!

"…timer went off," he finished. The American crumpled up his garbage and tossed it into a nearby garbage can.

I facepalmed. "Alfred! You're supposed to let a girl win when you're on a date," I scolded.

"But you don't get it," he wailed. "Nat hates it when I go easy on her!"

"That doesn't excuse the fact that you cheated!"

Alfred's shoulders slumped with defeat. "You're right. What should I do?"

I grabbed Alfred's shirt and reeled him in closer. "WHO ARE YOU?" I bellowed.

"C-cheya?"

" _I SAID_ , WHO ARE YOU?" I repeated.

The beginnings of a grin crept onto the American's face. "Alfred Jones," he whispered.

"I CAN'T HEAR YOU!"

"ALFRED JONES," he bellowed back.

"Much better!" I beamed. "Now you're going to go in there…"

The American gave me a formal salute. "Yes ma'am."

"And you're going to apologize."

"Yes ma'am."

"And you're going to hold her close."

Eyes widening with surprise, the American choked. Pieces of chewed up burger flew in all directions. "Y-yes ma'am?"

* * *

 **Natalia's POV:**

Natalia indulged herself with another spoonful of blue berry frozen yogurt. The Belarusian had her eyes fixated on the screen, surprised, but still nonetheless enjoying the amount of violence that had been packed into this senseless movie. She didn't understand what was going on, nor did she truly care. However, the only thing that truly bothered her was the fact that Alfred hadn't said one word to her during the course of the entire movie. The American just sat there in silence. He caught her eye every so often and smiled. But that was it. He didn't make any attempts to tease or provoke her. The Belarusian found this to be unnerving.

 _Is he not interested in me anymore?_

Natalia turned and tapped Alfred on the shoulder. "Do you like the movie?" she whispered.

Alfred's eyes lit up with excitement. "Yeah, I do!" he whispered, perhaps a little too loudly as he had earned himself a fair amount of shushes from people sitting in nearby rows. Stifling a grin, Natalia reached over to grab her water bottle from their seats shared cup holder. The Belarusian gasped when she brushed hands with the American. Alfred too had reached out to grab his drink. In a flash, Natalia's hand snapped back to her side. Her face burned with embarrassment and she averted her gaze to the other side of the theater. She was worried that Alfred would see her blush despite the dark lighting of the theater.

"Ah! Nat, your hands are freezing!" the American frowned. Natalia's throat constricted with a new found wariness. She swallowed and hoped to suppress the hollow feeling that had now pitted itself in her stomach. "S-sorry," the Belarusian muttered.

"That's OK!" Alfred talk-whispered. "I have an idea." Alfred shuffled in his seat. The American then leaned in closer to the Belarusian. Natalia's eyes widened with uncertainty. His breath tickled her nose. She shivered. "W-what are you doing, moron?" She quipped. Natalia gasped when Alfred grabbed her hand. "There," he murmured. The American rubbed her hand. "Geez Nat. You must have poor circulation," he remarked.

After warming up her right hand, Alfred moved on to her left. The American's warm, large hands cushioned hers once more. "How's that?" he asked.

Natalia's feet curled in her shoes. Alfred continued to rub her hands. He hummed under his breath and murmured soft words to her as if she were a small child. It was strange, yet oddly comforting at the same time. "Just fine, thank you" she said in a curt voice.

"Awesome," he grinned. "Well, there you go." Alfred let go of her hand. Natalia numbly let her hand fall back onto her lap. The warmth and comfort that she had felt before was now gone. The American edged away from her and went back to watching the movie. Numb to what she was doing, Natalia raised her hand. Her fingers itched to tap the American on the shoulder once more. Lowering her hand, the Belarusian decided to clear her throat instead. "Alfred?"

The American turned his head. His cowlick enthusiastically bobbed up and down. "Yes Nat?" he purred out in a gravelly tone.

Natalia looked at her feet. She silently berated herself for her impulsive behaviour. "Um, never mind. It's not that important."

"Aw come on," he pressed. "It can't be that bad."

"Um, well. People on dates hold hands...right?"

In a rare moment of brilliance, Alfred caught on to Natalia's chaste implication. His cerulean eyes gleamed with elation. He had finally connected the dots to the Belarusian's desires. "Hell yeah they do!" Once more, the American was shushed. Alfred ignored the silent glares that were aimed at him from all directions.

Alfred held out his hand to Natalia. "Come on, I won't bite," the American smirked.

"Shut it Jones," the Belarusian scoffed. Natalia bit her lip. Her hand trembled as she let it fall into the American's outstretched palm. She closed her eyes and inhaled. She took deep and relaxing breaths. The Belarusian was secretly relieved. No longer would she let herself keel under the unbearable weight of doubt and mistrust.

* * *

 **Cheya's POV:**

Mindful of giving the newly made couple some privacy, I restricted my snooping to two glances a minute. After all, a good love detective always reaffirms the progress of their matches. My heart leapt with pure joy. Well it was either that or shock. Probably a bit of both. Natalia and Alfred huddled together in close proximity with one another. The Belarusian's head rested against the crook of the American's neck. Their bodies became one as they snuggled in to finish the rest of the movie.

I tapped a bored looking Arthur on the shoulder. "See?!" I pointed. "That's how you romance." I shamelessly watched Alfred caress Natalia's hair in gentle, sweeping strokes.

"So you want me to treat you like a pet?" the Briton countered.

"You're just jealous of my handy work," I pouted.

"You literally talked to him for two minutes. He did most of this on his own."

"Arthur?"

"What?"

"I have a tweezer in my makeup bag. Don't make me pull it out."

* * *

 **Natalia's POV:**

Exhausted from her date, Natalia plopped herself down on the dorm lounge's couch. The Belarusian gratefully kicked off her heels. With a great jump, Alfred too joined her on the couch. The American wrapped an arm around her shoulders and reeled her in closer. Gasping out of shock, Natalia found her face pressed up against the American's firm chest. Muffled half-hearted growls of protest was the Belarusian's response. "Looks like the big bad Belarusian isn't so bad after all," Alfred chuckled. "You're actually pretty nice when your not, you know, slamming me face first into a concrete wall."

 _SLAP!_

Clutching his sore cheek with one hand and fingering long strands of blonde hair with the other, Alfred sighed. The American's breath caused the hairs on the back of the Belarusian's neck to stand up. "I reckon that I deserved that," he murmured.

Natalia tucked her head under Alfred's chin. "Stupid American," she cursed.

"Huh?"

"You were supposed to be my slave, now look at me," the Belarusian grumbled.

Alfred tightened his arms around Natalia's thin frame. He cradled her. "I win," he whispered. The American then rubbed his nose against the Belarusian's cheek.

 _~"You win this battle Braginski. But mark my words the hero will always triumph over the villain."~_

* * *

 **Cheya's POV:**

We got back to campus at around midnight. Arthur had let me borrow his sweater again, which, of course, only meant trouble. I zoomed around the sidewalk, over sized sleeves flapping. I was pretending to be an air plane. Childish? Yeah. Did I care? Not at all.

"The slapping sleeve strikes back!" I cried as I proceeded to pummel a disgruntled Arthur with another round of harmless sleeve slaps. Arthur's hair, in turn, became much more mussed up than usual. His face, in response to my childishness, blossomed into a beautifully angry shade of red. "Stop it!" he shouted. The Briton was clearly unamused by my playful banter.

I stopped in front of Arthur. I raised my make shift sleeve weapon in a threatening manner. A mischievous grin tugged on the corner of my lips. I guess you could say that I dabbled in humouring with the furious Briton. "Hello old friend," I talked to the sleeve. "Would you like to caress his face once more?"

Arthur glared at me. "DON'T YOU DAR-"

 _SLAP._

"CHEYA, LISTEN TO-"

 _SLAP_

"FOR FUCKS-"

 _SLAP._

"MMPH!"

 _SLAP._

I paused to give Arthur a breather. Death via sleeve didn't sound like a very pleasant way to die. Arthur's hands began to twitch and I kid you not, his cat-like eyes actually began to glow in the dark. The Briton stomped towards me with a murderous look on his face.

"Arthur I was just kidding hehe~, ACK!" Suddenly, I found myself hanging upside down. My pig tails swished in the balance of the cool evening wind. I was utterly helpless to the strength of the glowering Briton.

 _Now why did this seem so familiar….?_

"Are you going to apologize?" he asked.

"Nope!" I giggled.

"And why not?!" he fumed.

"Because I'm having a good time. Why would I want to apologize for that?"

Arthur set me down on my feet. "Can't argue with that logic," he mumbled.

Arm in arm, the couple walked on, unaware to the fact that a shaded figure lurked in the bushes, fuming as they took out their phone to snap a picture.


	12. Fritzed Off

**Fritzed Off:**

 **Maddie's POV:**

With a sigh, the Canadian plopped herself down on the bench. Maddie had her arms crossed as she waited for Gilbert. They had agreed to meet in the front of the Sparta dorm building. The sun was just starting to set, which in the terms of the university setting, meant late night parties. Maddie looked up and squinted at the row of dorm windows that faced her. She examined them with skeptical eyes as she searched, in vain, for any sight of the red-eyed German. It was now 8:00 PM, their designated meeting time, yet Gilbert was no where to be found. Maddie bit her lip. She was beginning to get nervous. The Canadian, in all of her anxiousness, couldn't help but ruminate about the purpose of this 'tutoring' that she had gotten herself into.

Gilbert was your typical beer chugging frat boy. A well-rounded extrovert in the field of socialization if you'd like to call it. And secretly, Maddie envied him for it. But the one thing that the Canadian had trouble wrapping her head around was the fact as to why a person of such a high social stature would ever bother to help her. It was simply unnatural. Boys like him, arrogant as they were, typically didn't associate themselves with quiet, reserved girls like her. Hierarchy, a brutal concept that the Canadian had been forced to adapt to in high school, was all about designated positions, and Maddie knew her place on the food chain.

But why then?

Gilbert didn't have anything to gain from helping her. In fact, she was probably the most undeserving of his time. She had always been so rude to him. And embarrassingly so at that. All she ever did was spite him with patronizingly degrading insults. Even though the German, in all of his devilish schemes, clearly enjoyed to tease her, Maddie knew that his comments were only light-hearted at best. Gilbert, in fact, was one of the few people who actually acknowledged her presence. The German's tauntings was solely his way of familiarizing himself with her. It was almost as if he was poking her, hesitant and irritatingly calculated as he began, in a frustratingly slow pace, to delve into the complicated frameworks of her true self.

But that didn't mean that the douche didn't enjoy to irk her. Maddie knew all too well just how much Gilbert got a rouse out of bothering her. Maddie grimaced as the image of the German's smirking red eyes surfaced in her mind. Those eyes always seemed to pierce right through her, gleaming with pride as they watched, basked, and preyed upon her flusterment. Or that Godawful smirk of his. The way how he would grin at her, his teeth flashing with a smug, predatory glory. And last but certainly not least, the way how his chest would practically shake with hissing fits of laughter.

 _Kesesese._ Endless loops of the German's obnoxious snickers echoed in her head. The imaginary laughter suddenly got louder. Maddie grimaced in defeat. The Canadian cupped both hands over her ears. Is this what hell was like?

"Kesesese." There it was again. _No_ , the Canadian rationalized. _That one sounded real._

Reluctantly, Maddie looked up. The Canadian's eyes flickered towards the grinning German standing before her. Gilbert stood, beer in hand. The German used his other hand to stroke his chin in mock contemplation. He wore a pair of simple denim skinny jeans and a black crew cut t-shirt. The moonlight shone on his pale skin. It lit up his fiendish face quite fittingly. The taunting smirk on his face prompted Maddie to swallow down her fears. Irritation quickly took over the Canadian's senses. Seething with anger, Maddie glowered at the simpering German.

Gilbert ran a hand through his fair, disheveled hair. "Gripping onto the bench for dear life, I see?" he mused.

Oh.

Maddie absently released her hand from the tight grip that it had on the bench's railing. "Just thinking," she ground out through clenched teeth. It's not like he was late or anything. Oh no. He was probably too busy thrusting his self-proclaimed awesomeness onto every waking person.

Gilbert gave her a puzzled look and cocked his head to side. "If thinking is planning for your next murder..." the German faltered. His eyes widened in surprise for a brief moment. The German puckered his lips in concentration. Maddie quickly averted her gaze to the ground. The Canadian's face flushed with embarrassment. She couldn't handle the German's abrupt and seemingly unwavering attention. "W-what?" she stammered.

The German set down his beer on the bench. Gilbert sighed loathsomely as he too sat on the bench. The German draped a casual arm over the Canadian's shoulders. "Maddie, don't get me wrong. But what the fuck are you wearing?" he groaned.

Maddie's eyes flashed with a defensive light as she began to fidget with the draw strings of her beloved Toronto Maple Leaf's sweatshirt. "I'm wearing something else underneath," she mumbled in an incoherent whisper. The German stared at her once more. This time with even more vigor. Maddie felt the hair on her arms raise. Red jewels bored right into her. The German waited, with a surprising amount of patience, for the Canadian to repeat herself. Maddie's throat constricted with a sense of unease.

The Canadian's brows furrowed into a frown. Gilbert didn't look drunk. In fact, he looked like his usual self: cocky smile, laid-back posture, red eyes brimming with mischief and pride. The only difference, however, was the unusually soft expression that had etched its way onto the German's face. It was uncanny. It was as if Maddie was meeting an entirely new person. The German's facade of exuberance and roudiness was gone. He had settled into a much more controlled and reserved state of composure. "Maddie, I'm not fluent in mumbling," he drawled out in a bored voice.

The Canadian shrugged off her sweater, revealing the tight, low cut red t-shirt that she wore underneath. "I only wore this because I was cold, no thanks to you," she scoffed. Gilbert gave her a perplexed look. Maddie blushed. The German's eyes lingered over her chest for just the briefest of moments.

Gilbert exhaled sharply. In his attempt to recover from this blunder, Gilbert distracted himself by taking a massive chug out of his beer. "Ahhhh! he smacked his lips. "Alrighty then!" Gilbert clapped his hands and stood up from the bench. "So Maddie," he mused. The German began to pace in front of the stunned Canadian. His steel toed boots stomped against the ground with a calculated precision. Oddly enough, he reminded Maddie of a soldier. Ah. She could picture it now. He was the drill sergeant and she was the fresh, vulnerable, and ever impressionable meat that he lived to boss around. The Canadian scowled at the very thought of it. "Why are we here today?"

The Canadian's temper started to spike. "You're the one who asked me to meet you here," she huffed. Maddie's hand flicked up to brush away the stray curl that had fallen into her face. She wasn't scared anymore. She absolutely forbid herself from cowering in front of him.

Gilbert shed Maddie with a satisfied smirk. The placated German then bent over so that he could place a hand over the Canadian's shoulder. "Fair enough," he whispered. "Perhaps I was bored and looking for some amusement. But," the German waggled a finger in front of her face. "I do have a price for my services," he finished. The German didn't even bother to hide the devious expression on his face.

Maddie's body coiled in defense. The Canadian shuddered. "What do you want, Gilbert?" she growled. The Canadian deadpanned. She should have known better. The German was notorious for his wagers. Heck, even Cheya liked to blackmail her whenever her entertainment for the day lacked. Maddie was now starting to understand why the two had become such close friends.

Gilbert brought his face closer to hers. He was so close that their noses practically touched each other. Gilbert chuckled. The German's breath tickled her face. Maddie scrunched up her nose in response. The scent of alcohol on his breath was almost unbearable. Maddie shivered when Gilbert reached over to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. The German then cupped a hand around her now reddening cheek. "I want you to say that I'm awesome," he cooed.

Maddie laughed. "Good joke Gilbert, now where are you taking me?" Gilbert froze. He clearly hadn't expected such a response. The German recovered when he traced a delicate finger along the curve of the Canadian's cheek bone. Maddie refused to look him in the eyes. "Oh, if only I was joking," the German snickered. The Canadian's body tensed as the German took to poking her puffed out cheek instead. Over and over again. Relentlessly. She had half the mind to bite off his finger.

 _He's just trying to bug you. Don't give in._

Maddie slapped his hand away. "And if I don't?" she challenged. A wolfish grin tugged onto the corners of Gilbert's lips. "Fine then." The German shrugged and turned his back on the Canadian. He began to walk away. "Best of luck in getting yourself noticed! I'm out of here," the German gleefully belt out in a victorious tone. Maddie grit her teeth. He knew that she needed his help. Without him, she wouldn't have gotten noticed back at that diner. She hated to admit it, but the German clearly knew a thing or two when it came to grabbing the attention of others. A conflicted expression crossed over her face.

Confliction quickly turned to anger when she realized what he was doing. The German was purposefully dragging his boots against the ground, walking at a snail's pace. The German turned his head to look back at the Canadian. His eyes bored into her once more. With a look of elation on his face, Gilbert smirked. The sound of defeat roared in the Canadian's ears.

"I'm really going to gooooo," he teased.

Irritated Silence.

Gilbert lifted his wrist and pretended to check the time on his imaginary watch. "Oh would you look at the time! I still have another 10 hours to poison my liver with beer."

The Canadian twitched in her seat. No way was she going to give up her dignity for something so trivial. Never before had she felt so helpless. She was a lifeless puppet in a much grander scheme of coercion and all things blackmail.

Gilbert raised his cross necklace to the moonlight. "Pray, father tell me why this heathen shall not submit to my desires." The German brought the necklace to his lips and kissed it. The silver metal gleamed just as brightly as his brilliantly, yet lucidly sinister red eyes. Maddie crossed her legs. An amused smile crept onto her face as she listened to Gilbert mumble religious nonsense under his breath. It boggled her mind how such a devilish, impish looking boy could immerse himself in something so pure.

Maddie stood up from the bench. She was numb to any reason. Waves of agitation rolled off of her body. "Oh Holy Douche," she mocked in a snide voice. "Please, forgive me for my sins."

The German's brows furrowed in irritation. "Oh you little-" Gilbert started only to stop as his mouth gaped open in awe. He had just realized the magnitude of the Canadian's well placed insult. For a brief moment, the German's eyes carried a hint of respect.

Gilbert's disbelieving snort quickly put things back into focus. "Come on let's just go," he grumbled.

"But you haven't told me where we're going!" the Canadian protested. Grinning, Maddie pranced over to the scowling German's side.

" _Ja_? Well too fucking bad," the German snapped back.

* * *

 **Gilbert's POV:**

Gilbert slouched in the booth that he had seated himself at. He was squinting due to the bright disco lights that flashed and sashayed across the room. They were at Donny's Bowling Alley, and Gilbert planned to teach Maddie how to dance. Most importantly, however, the German hoped to teach the Canadian how to enjoy herself once in a while. For her to be noticed, she needed to become comfortable with herself. And tonight, Gilbert planned to push Maddie out of her comfort zone. He wanted to test her to the utmost of her previous social limitations. He would help her reinforce her character. The Canadian was indeed strong; there was no question about that. The only thing that Gilbert needed to work on, however, was Maddie's shyness. He strived to teach her how to compose herself with confidence. No longer would the Canadian waver with doubt. That is, if tonight's lesson went according to plan, of course.

To this day, it still surprised Gilbert how in such a short time, he had grown to care so much for this girl. The Canadian, on the other hand, clearly didn't care for him. She probably didn't even consider him to be a friend. Albeit these setbacks, Gilbert still had the odd desire to immerse himself in Maddie's own little world of maple syrup, pancakes, and hockey. Seriously though. Never before had Gilbert seen such a tiny girl scarf down so much food in hardly any time flat. He found her appetite to be _kind of_ awesome.

Gilbert silently pondered to himself. His eyebrows furrowed as the cogs in his brain turned. His search for answers was in vain. There simply was no explanation for his behavior. Sure, it had always been amusing to tease Maddie, but that didn't explain why he had taken it upon himself to help her. Ah. Who was he kidding. He was helping her solely because of the amusement that she brought to him. He loved the way how her violet eyes would flare with anger. He itched to make her angry. It made him delirious whenever she would yell at him in that quaint, shrill voice of hers. _"Gilbert stop eating my pancakes!" "Gilbert there's a lock on the door for a reason!" "Gilbert put on a shirt for maple's sake!" "Gilbert you're so awesome!"_

Ok. Maybe the last one involved a bit of his own imagination, but you get the picture.

"GILBERT!" an angry feminine voice screeched to the German's left. Gilbert's head snapped up. His lips pursed into a satisfied smirk as he watched the Canadian storm over to him. The Canadian's blonde ringlets bounced with each step that she took. Maddie stopped to stand in front of the booth. She didn't bother to join him.

Maddie jabbed a long, dainty finger at Gilbert. The German gloried. Oh goody. What accusations and insults would she lay onto him now? "You told them, didn't you?" she quipped.

Gilbert's eyes lazily skimmed over the Canadian's slender figure. He admired the way how her jeans hugged the curves of her body. Eventually, his eyes looked up to meet the furious pair of violet eyes that were currently glaring down at him. "Ja, I can't have you cheat and get drunk," the German remarked with a nonchalant shrug. Gilbert didn't want her to rely on alcohol every time that she went to a social outing. And so he willingly, if not sparingly, prevented her from acquiring an unhealthy drinking habit. Perhaps ratting her out to the bartender was a bit excessive, but hey, it got the job done, right?

With a defeated sigh, Maddie joined him and slid into the opposite end of the booth. "You're ordering me a Molsen later," she snapped. The Canadian then proceeded to put her fake ID back in her purse. Gilbert almost flinched. The Canadian was ripping right into him with a murderous looking scowl. Maddie then trained her eyes on the alcohol station. Her tongue grazed over her lips as she watched the bartender tap Canadian beer into a glass. Gilbert grinned. How perfect. He relished in the Canadian's blatant vulnerability. The German took his time before he spoke next. He was breathing in the sweet scent of victory, after all. "Tell you what. If you pass my test, I'll buy you an entire pint of that stuff," he offered. Gilbert scrunched up his nose in disdain. Canadian beer just didn't have the same kick to it that German beer did.

The Canadian, for a brief moment, perked up at the German's offer. She then shrunk back down and narrowed her eyes at him. She was skeptical, but she kept her chin held high as she pierced him with a determined glare. Maddie curtly nodded her head. She spoke through her teeth. "Deal." Revelling in his small victory, Gilbert stood up and held out his hand for her. Jaw set into a taut expression, the Canadian willingly took his hand. The German had to stifle his snickers. His plan was going along swimmingly.

Gilbert quickened his pace. Realization dawned on Maddie's face. The Canadian dug her nails into his wrist. Her head futilely waved back and forth as she attempted, unsuccessfully, to dig her heels into the ground. She whimpered and protested but to not avail. And so, the German walked on, cackling in an evil tonality as he dragged the unwilling Canadian onto the dance floor.

"MAPLE. GILBERT. NO." Maddie breathed out through shallow pants. She was struggling to gain her footing. Gilbert, at this point, had led them onto the edge of the dance floor. The German pushed his way through hordes of intoxicated teenagers. He gripped onto the Canadian's hand tightly as he towed her along like a limp rag doll. Once he had found a relatively empty space for them to dance in, Gilbert let go of Maddie's hand. "Here we are!" he beamed.

As expected, Maddie made an attempt to escape. "Oh no you don't!" The German leapt forward and seized the scurrying Canadian's arm. Wrapping his arms around her trembling body, Gilbert bent over so that he could whisper into Maddie's ear. "Relax," he chuckled.

"I-I can't," Maddie stammered.

Gilbert smoothed a hand through the Canadian's head. "Maddie, do you know why I took you here?"

"N-no." Maddie wrenched herself free from the German's grip, but she gave him the benefit of the doubt by not trying to escape. The Canadian cocked her head to side as she waited for the German to elaborate on his question.

"You need to loosen up." Gilbert crossed his arms and clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. He was preparing himself for another round of the Canadian's angry banter. It had become a routine for him to face the wrath of her passive aggressive backlash. The German braced himself. His entire body was tense with anticipation. What the Canadian did next, however, surprised Gilbert. Shaking with uncertainty, Maddie offered a hesitant hand to him. "I guess that I don't have much of a choice, eh?" she asked in a timid voice.

That was all that Gilbert needed to hear. "Awesome!" the German cried as he gleefully took the Canadian's delicate hand into his. Gilbert stroked his thumb across the back of her hand. With the Canadian's nod of approval, Gilbert placed his hands onto her waist. Slowly, but surely, Maddie wrapped her arms around his neck. Gilbert flashed her with a wolfish grin, but he still nonetheless treated her delicately. He rocked her side to side, gently and carefully. It was if she were made of of glass: fragile, yet very beautiful all the same.

"Gilbert," Maddie giggled. "Dubstep isn't exactly the best thing to slow dance too."

"Fine," Gilbert grinned. "Have it your way." The German's cautious demeanor had now diminished, and in its place came a wickedness that could only be tamed by the satisfaction of triumph. The German reeled the Canadian in closer. Her face pressed up against his collar bone. Gilbert traced his hands across the smalls of Maddie's back. She was short, and the German relished in the height advantage that he had over her.

"Gilbert!" the Canadian huffed. "How is this supposed to help with anything?"

Gilbert laughed as he tucked his chin over the top of the Canadian's head. "Teasing purposes, my dear. Guys always want what they can't have," he murmured. Maddie shifted her head and looked down. Her face burned a bright red. The Canadian's soft curls tickled the tips of Gilbert's nose.

Maddie scoffed. "How despicable."

"Want to see something even more outrageous?" The Canadian didn't have the time to respond. The German let his action speak for itself. Taking immense pleasure in the Canadian's initial shock, Gilbert dipped Maddie into a bow. His figure now hovered over her suspended body. Wide violet eyes looked up to Gilbert with fright. A look of dread crossed over Maddie's face when she met the German's boastful expression.

"Gilbert?!"

"Hmmmmmmm?"

"Let go of me this instant!"

"If you say so," Gilbert teased, as he slowly, but surely, began to slide his arm away from the Canadian's back. Realizing her vulnerable predicament, Maddie's lips quivered with fear. "Eh, m-maybe you should let me stand up first," she mumbled. The Canadian made sure to place more delicacy in her tone of voice. She was currently treading upon the thin shores of the German's very fragile ego. But oh no. Gilbert intended to enjoy this moment. He would suck up every possible morsel of amusement that he could.

The German ears perked up with curiosity. He wanted to hear the Canadian beg and grovel for his mercy. "Now why would I do that?" he simpered.

"B-because... Cheya emailed me a picture of you in a ballerina outfit!" Gilbert deadpanned. Oh, how the tides had turned. Blackmail at its finest.

The German grimaced. He had the sour taste of defeat in his mouth. Grumbling, Gilbert set Maddie on her feet. Murder was on the German's mind. He was planning to strangle a certain gossiping French woman in the near to immediate future.

Maddie's eyes sparkled with amusement. "She didn't actually send me the picture, you know," she laughed. "But she does have it saved as her screen saver."

Before he could retaliate, Gilbert felt someone tap him on the shoulder. Turning around, Gilbert faced a brown haired, olive skinned boy. "Excuse me," he purred. "May I cut in?"

Maddie beamed despite the German's immediate dislike to the boy. "Of course!" she squealed. "I'd love to!" Gilbert felt his stomach lurch with disgust. The German draped a protective arm around the Canadian. His eyes pierced right through the boy's blankly complacent expression.

Lips folded into an impish grin, the boy offered a hand to the Canadian. His hazel eyes widened in appreciation as they took in the sight of her chest. Maddie, of course, was oblivious to this. Gilbert scowled. He didn't trust this boy in the slightest. The Canadian took a step forward, but was quickly held back by the German's rigid hand.

"Gilbert," Maddie chuckled in a friendly manner. Anger resided on the cusps of her voice as she pelted him with a cold glare. " _LET GO_."

"Oh," the German mumbled numbly. "My bad, _liebling_."

* * *

 **Gilbert's POV:**

Gilbert swigged back another glass of beer, sighing as he swiped a hand over his mouth to get rid of his foam mustache. Slouching over on the bar stool, Gilbert pounded a dramatic fist against the counter. The German grumbled incoherently under his breath as he attempted to grab the bartender's attention. Deciding that his efforts to attain more alcohol was in vain, Gilbert reluctantly decided to set his sights on the Canadian. He let the buzz of his drunkenness numb his disgust.

Twirling around the dance floor, Maddie laughed, her eyes twinkling with joy as she let loose for once. The sight of the boy who danced around her, however, caused a feral growl to resonate deep within Gilbert's throat. The boy danced around the Canadian in a predatory stance. He pulled Maddie closer and possessively kissed the trails of her neck. Every vein in Gilbert's forehead just about exploded. Anger quickly overcame him in a crazed frenzy. Gilbert forced himself to turn away. He grit his teeth with a dissatisfied fury as he banged his fist against the counter once more. "REFILL PLEASE!"

As expected, no answer.

Groaning, Gilbert slumped into the bar stool that he was sitting on. The German leaned over and cradled his forehead in his hands. His head pounded and he wanted nothing more than to forget what he had just seen. In terms of his test, Gilbert should have been happy. The Canadian had passed it with flying colours. Maddie was dancing, flouting about, and enjoying life to the absolute fullest without any ounce of shyness in her. Yet here Gilbert was, bitter and alone, and drinking to help this quicken the pace of this miserably slow night.

"Gilbert?" The German looked up. The Canadian had climbed up to sit at the seat next to him. Cheeks still flushed from a night full of dancing, Maddie smiled. A dreamy look was plastered on her face as she gazed at the scowling German. "Hehe~. What's wrong with you, gruuuumpy pants? she pouted.

"Maddie..." Gilbert raised a brow at the Canadian's suspiciously elated behavior. "How much did you have to drink?" he interrogated.

 _Actually, how did you get drunk in the first place? It was that bastard wasn't it? I'll fucking kill him..._

Eyes swooping over the dance floor, the German grunted, unhappy with the fact that his search had come up empty. Maddie winked. "Not too much, I promise," she slurred very unpromisingly. "He's gone, if you're wondering," the Canadian burst out into a giggling fit. "Can you _believe_ that he expected _me_ to sleep with him?" Maddie cupped a hand over her mouth. Her efforts to stifle her laughter were futile. When Gilbert didn't respond, Maddie slouched her shoulders. She was mocking his pitiful position. With a devious grin, Maddie grabbed his empty beer glass and waved it around in the air.

"HEY! SERVER DUDE?! SIR HOLY DOUCHE BAG OVER HERE'S RUNNING AN EMPTY!" The Canadian then proceeded to slam the empty glass against the wooden counter, reiterating her point further. Maddie then burst into another nonsensical fit of inebriated giggles.

"Oi," Gilbert scolded. His lips cracked into a faint smile. He found himself amused by the Canadian's current upheaval of goofy behavior. "I think that you've had enough to drink. Eh, Megan?" he jested.

Maddie's face screamed bloody murder. "THE NAME'S MADDIE BITCH. WHAT A DISPLEASURE TO MEET YOU!"

"Ja, ja. Whatever you say. I'm ready to leave if you are. But you should probably go to the washroom first." Gilbert shook his head. He quickly became annoyed by how childish the Canadian was acting. Giggling, Maddie grabbed a stack of napkins. The Canadian held up a napkin to the light. "Maddie," Gilbert started only to stop when he saw that Maddie had taken to stuffing the napkins into her bra. "If you're good, I have a bottle of maple syrup with your name on it!"

Maddie's eyes lit up glee. "Awwwwe yeahhhhhh," she grinned.

"But," Gilbert waggled his fingers, subtly rolling his eyes as he tried to rationalize with the intoxicated girl. "You have to go pee first."

Maddie stumbled off the stool and staggered a few paces forward. The Canadian looked back to shed the German with a sly smirk. She flipped back her hair in what he presumed to be her 'sexy' pose. "Don't you disappear on me now," she scolded. Maddie placed both hands on her hips. She attempted to purse her lips into a serious expression but failed miserably as she let out another round of giddy laughter.

Gilbert waved the Canadian off. "Just go," he snickered. Turning around in the hopes of grabbing one last drink, Gilbert was met with the stern gaze of the poker-faced bartender.

"I thought you said that she was a minor?" he inquired.

"Oh so now you decide pay attention to me!" the German deadpanned.

* * *

 **Gilbert's POV:**

They were walking, staggering to be more accurate, back to Maddie's dorm. The Canadian leaned against the German for support. Every so often, Gilbert would have to readjust Maddie's arm around his neck. She had an irksome habit of leaning towards the ground. "Woah..." The Canadian looked up and fixated her gaze at the clear and starry night sky. Her neck was craned so far back that she could have doubled as an owl. "Hey! Gilbert!-OH!"

Maddie tripped over her feet and tumbled, gracelessly, to the ground. Gilbert resisted the urge to facepalm. He truly did. Mein Gott, was that girl ever clumsy. Hmmm. Adorably so...

Surprised by her wound, Maddie raised her now scraped hand to the air. She appeared to be entranced by the small trickles of blood that ran down her wrist. The German let out a loathsome sigh. Babysitting a drunk girl was so not awesome. Picking her up by the armpits, Gilbert hauled the Canadian onto her feet. Maddie staggered. "Easy does it," Gilbert murmured.

The Canadian raised a pale eyebrow. "I'm hurt," she remarked in disbelief.

Gilbert rolled his eyes. "Ja, that's what happens when you fall," he deadpanned. Still busy with examining her hand, Maddie pouted. Annoyed, but slightly amused, Gilbert decided to humour the Canadian with a rugged smile.

Maddie's eyes widened with fright. A soft whimper trembled on the cusps of her lips. "What now?" the German groaned.

"I'm tired," the Canadian wailed. Tears welled in her eyes, and upon noticing the German's confused stare, Maddie hid her face behind a thick curtain of blonde curls. Gilbert scoffed internally. What he was about to do was nothing short of being ridiculous. Walking over to stand in front of the Canadian, Gilbert bent into a crouch. The German then motioned her forward with an impatient flick of the wrist. "Get on," he mumbled. "I'll carry you home." Being the awesome beast that he was, Gilbert was well accustomed to lifting heavy weights, so carrying a frail Canadian girl would hardly be a challenge for him.

Squealing with delight, the Canadian leapt onto the German's back. She spread out her arms wide, like a star fish. Gilbert grunted when Maddie wrapped her legs around his waist. Perhaps a bit too tightly. The German, of course, was to prideful to admit that she was hurting him, however.

"Weeeeeeeee," Maddie giggled into the German's ear. Gilbert shuddered. Her hot breath was tickling him. The German's face flushed red right up to the tip of his ears.

"Damn. You really are drunk," Gilbert chuckled nervously. His grin faded when a terrifying realization dawned on him. "Fuck! Cheya's going to kill me," he wailed.

Gilbert winced when Maddie's arms tightened around his throat. "Cheya this. Cheya that," the Canadian mocked with a childish looking pout. The Canadian quickly became restless. She couldn't stay still. Maddie's elbows were now digging into his ribcage. "What about me? Huh, oh awesome one? I'm sitting right here, yet you hardly even notice me!"

The German froze mid-pace. He decided to pass her comment off as a joke. " _Kesesese,_ good one Maddie." The Canadian tensed and an awkward silence filled between them. Gilbert frowned. Maddie didn't even like him. Why would she care whether he noticed her or not? Wasn't the whole purpose of this night to teach her how to get _other_ people to notice her? Nevertheless, the truth of Maddie's words struck Gilbert right in the chest. It winded him. He was struggling to find higher ground. She had caught him off guard, stripped him of his cockiness, and left him with nothing to lean back on. He felt exposed. Perplexed. Confused...

"Hey Gilbert?"

" _J-ja_?" Maddie leaned her head onto the German's shoulder and sighed. "I know that I'm going to regret saying this in the morning, but...you can be pretty awesome," the Canadian yawned. "...sometimes," she finished after what felt like an eternity.

Gilbert chuckled to himself. "Don't tell sober me that. He'd never let you live it down." The German's eyes widened when the Canadian nuzzled her head against the crook of his neck. Her fatigue was clearly beginning to take its toll. "Roger that, captain demon douche." Gilbert snorted, but he was far too done with life to rebuke the Canadian for her insolence.

Within a matter of minutes, Maddie had drifted off to sleep, snoring lightly and murmuring to herself in soft, delicate whispers. Gilbert smiled. This was something that he could get used to.

 _~One day,_ the German swore to himself. _One day I'll_ really _get you to call me awesome.~_


	13. Espresso Yourself

**Espresso Yourself:**

~I personally love this chapter~

 **Antonio's POV:** (Friday Afternoon)

Cheery as usual, the Spaniard walked through the hallways of the Gaul dorm, his eyes wide with excitement as he searched for a certain fiery Italian. He hadn't seen her since their incident in the soccer field, and to be quite frank, he missed her. Lovina just had that kind of spark to her. He absolutely adored to see her hazel eyes burn with passion, or mostly anger if she glaring at him, which happened a lot for some reason (?). But there was one thing that Antonio had also caught on to. And that was hesitation. The Spaniard was no fool. Those were the eyes of a girl who doubted herself, and being the charismatic casanova that he was, Antonio planned to sweep her off her feet. She may kick, she may scream, and she will most definitely curse, but that still wouldn't stop him from placing a kiss onto that permanently red face of hers. eheh~

To him, Lovina was perfect, and nothing would ever make him think otherwise. He loved her spunkiness. He was entranced by her strong-holded spirit. But, on the other hand, he also found himself touched by the soft, caring side of the Italian that she so rarely revealed to others. It didn't take long for the Spaniard to notice just how much Lovina cared for her sister, no matter how hard that she tried to hide it. Lovina cared for her sister with so much love and vigilance that all Antonio could do was stand back and watch. Whenever they had dinner together, it was if her entire demeanor had changed. It was as if she had let go of her anger, for the briefest of moments, whenever she tended to her sister. Her voice would speak in the gentlest of whispers, that same wry grin playing onto her face whenever she made Feli giggle with one of her crude jokes.

Lips curled into a grin, Antonio quicked his pace. His patience was wearing quickly. The sound of Lovina's devilish sounding laughter rang in his ears. She was just so interesting to him! She didn't give a damn about the world or what anyone thought of her. Lovina didn't skip through life. Oh no. She trudged. She trudged along with heavy combat boots, a permanent scowl, and her ever fluent potty mouth. She always kept her head held high. She relished in the fear that she instilled in others. Well enough for a 5'6 girl that is. And this is what ultimately drew the Spaniard towards the Italian. Most girls, by now, would have already been drooling all over him and waving their phone numbers in front of his face. The Italian, on the other hand, loathed the Spaniard. No. She despised him.

And it wasn't like Antonio hadn't clued in to this either. Because he did. But the rejection that he faced only motivated him to work harder. Lovina had leveled into his ego. She had humbled him. And for this, the Spaniard had to compensate. The Italian had intrigued him, and despite his previous no attachment policy with girls, Antonio, of all people, was now the one to be hopelessly strung along. Lovina had touched him in a way that no girl had ever done before. Well, to be quite literal, she did punch him. A lot. But no girl had ever dared to do that before. Regardless! The Spaniard was absolutely smitten.

When he had finally reached the door to the Vargas twins' apartment, the Spaniard took a deep breath. The hair on the back of his neck was standing up in a giddy sort of anticipation. Gently knocking on the door, Antonio waited. He couldn't stay still. He jumped on the balls of his feet and whistled along to a random tune. Soft footsteps padded towards the door. "Who is it?" a shrill voice sang from inside the apartment.

Masking his disappointment, Antonio politely cleared his throat. "Hola Feli! Is Lovi there~?" Antonio heard the clink of a chain. Hair slightly ruffled and mussed up from her afternoon siesta, a sleepy looking Feli poked her head around the door. When she met Antonio's enthusiastic expression, a simpering look crossed over Feli's face. The Italian averted her gaze to the ground. A look of sadness had permeated her normally cheerful features. "Ve, Vina left not too long ago," she mumbled.

Antonio placed a hand onto the door frame. The Spaniard gave the Italian a somber look. "May I come in?" he asked. Feli nodded and opened the door for him. Antonio let her lead the way into the apartment. The smell of pasta lingered in the air, and Antonio's nose led him to the boiling pot of tomato sauce that was simmering over the stove top. Smoothing a hand over her raging bed head, Feli turned back to give Antonio an apologetic look. She looked pretty well heart broken. It was very unnerving for the Spaniard to see her like this. "Ve, sorry about my appearance Tonio. Things have been pretty crazy lately."

The Spaniard waved off the Italian's comment with a friendly smile. But that, of course, didn't lessen his concern for her in the slightest. Feli sighed and began to roam around the kitchen. With a blank expression, Feli sluggishly stirred the tomato sauce. Antonio followed her into the kitchen. The Spaniard had to do a double take when his eyes latched onto the Italian's outfit. Feli was head over heels (pun intended) for fashion and makeup, yet this was quite possibly the first time that Antonio had ever seen her dressed in something so casual. Seriously though, the simple white t-shirt that she was wearing could have doubled as a bed sheet; it was just that big.

Walking further into the kitchen, Antonio leaned against the counter. The Spaniard playfully nudged shoulders with the moping Italian. "Is everything alright between you and Lovi?" Upon hearing his question, Feli's shoulders slumped further. Her lips trembled as she spoke. "N-no, it's not that," Feli paused to stir the sauce again. Cooking was a good distraction for her at the moment. "Our Nonno isn't very pleased with her right now."

"Oh... I see. Is she not doing well in your cooking classes?"

"Si, she's not doing very well in them and," Feli's hand tightened around the wooden spoon that she was clutching onto. Tears began to pool in her eyes. "She won't tell me what's wrong!" The Italian wailed as she buried her face into the Spaniard's shirt.

Antonio placed a supporting arm around the trembling Italian. "There, there," he cooed. "I'm sure that she'll be fine, Feli." The Spaniard reassured the Italian despite his own uncertainty over the matter.

"I k-know, ve," Feli hiccuped. "It's just... she's such a good cook! I don't understand...And then today, our Nonno called her. They yelled at each other, and I don't think that I've ever seen her get _that_ mad before. A-a-and," The Italian could hardly finish her sentence. Sobs quickly inhibited her ability to speak. Antonio pulled Feli into a tighter embrace. He was disturbed, but he was still nonetheless concerned for the other Vargas sister. Lovina was hurting and he needed to do something about it.

"Hey Feli? Maybe I could go and talk to Lovina? I mean it's the least that I can do since I come over here for dinner so often."

Feli smiled at him through her tears. "Tonio, that's too much for me to ask of you. She'll be back-"

" _No_ , Feli," Antonio interrupted. The Spaniard's agitation started to peak and his worry for Lovina blinded any sense of reason. "I _want_ to go," he said in a much softer tone.

Feli sniffed. Antonio grabbed a kleenex and handed it to her. "Ve," the Italian giggled lightly. She arched her eyebrows into an amused expression. "The Spanish never give up, right?"

The Spaniard beamed. "Nope~!"

* * *

 **Lovina's POV:**

Well today was just a fucking shit storm amidst the rain of cocky douches and unrealistic expectations. Lovina sighed as she scrolled through her news feed. The Italian snorted when she came across a vine compilation of people hurting themselves. Hey, she needed something to distract her from her miserable fucking life. Oh. You want to hear about it? Chigi. Everyone loves to shit on the lesser Vargas twin huh?

Their Nonno, who she and her sorella were now going to live with _because_ their parents were fucking twats who decided to move back to Italy on their own, deep irritated breath, placed a high value on their education, and when he had caught wind of Lovina's slipping grades he was none too pleased. But Lovina was tired. She was tired off all the pressure that her Nonno had placed onto her. And so, she stopped. She stopped caring and she neglected her school work. She rebelled in the hopes that someone would _actually_ listen to her.

Despite the fact that she grew up in a restaurant orientated environment, Lovina didn't find much pleasure in cooking. Sure, she was good at. Some would even dare to admit that Lovina was, in fact, better at cooking than Feli. But to Lovina, being a chef just seemed so...boring. Trivial even.

Besides, Lovina couldn't bear to live in her sorella's shadow for much longer. Feli was the perfect angel of their family and Lovina was tired of being compared to her. She was her own person, damnit! She wasn't some fucking robot that replicated Feli's every move. She was Lovina _fucking_ Vargas! The Italian punk who had a love for all things horror. She was the girl who stomped on anyone who dared to insult her. To hell with these half-ass expectations! They could go to hell for all she cared!

But, right now, the only thing that Lovina hated more than anything else, was herself. After her Nonno had called to have a chat about her grades, correction, to yell at the top of his fucking lungs about her grades, ranting as if he had actually cared, Lovina hung up the phone and snapped at the first thing in sight; Feli. Clenching her fists, Lovina eyes burned and brimmed with tears of frustration. She turned to gaze outside the cafe's window. Her chest swelled with anxiety when she pictured the disappointed look that Feli had given her. Feli was one of the few people who had actually accepted Lovina for who she was. Yet all Lovina could do was push her away. All she ever did was yell at Feli. Berate her. Insult her. She treated her sorella as if she was the cause of all of her pain. It wasn't fair. Feli deserved better, and to this day, Lovina, although she hardly ever admitted it, admired her sorella for her patience.

Balls. She would have to apologize later. Lovina closed her laptop and began to pack up her bag. The owner was starting to give her the evil eye, and if she didn't buy something soon she was sure to be kicked out. Standing up, Lovina groaned when her eyes latched onto something unpleasant in the room. The Italian ducked into her booth when she recognized a certain idiotic Spaniard standing at the other end of the cafe. His green eyes were narrowed. They looked intent on finding their target. And find their target they did.

It was too late. Still in the midst of an awkward crouching position, Lovina's eyes met with Antonio's and she froze. Neither of them moved as they stared each other down. Lovina glowered, but the Spaniard returned her gaze with a frown. His mouth parted open slightly when he picked up on the signals of the Italian's evident distress. Hurdling over to her, Antonio nearly tripped. His eyes were wide and unblinking. It was as if he expected her to disappear at any given moment.

"Lovina!" the Spaniard cried out.

Nope. Fuck to the nope. Fuck to the infinity of nopes. The Italian was not about to deal with this right now. She had already piled enough shit on her plate to fertilize an entire fucking country and she didn't want to trouble the bastard with any of it. Lovina shuffled out her booth only to slam straight into the Spaniard's tanned arm. "Lovi, please," he begged in a breathless whisper.

Just how far did this idiot go to reach her? And how did he know where to find her? Oh. Feli probably told him. They regularly went to this cafe after class. Well fuck.

Reluctantly, the Italian looked up to meet the frantic Spaniard's gaze once more. His curls were messier than usual, which gave it a windswept kind of look. But his eyes told another story. His eyes gleamed with a tenderness so soft that Lovina forced herself to look down again. The Italian shuffled her feet nervously. She willed herself to pretend that she wasn't moved by the Spaniard's evident concern. "Fine," the Italian huffed as she slumped back down into the booth. "What does a bastard like you want with me anyways?"

Grinning, Antonio lifted his arm and slipped into the opposite end of the booth. Lovina scowled. The bastard was still wearing those damn track pants. Didn't he have anything else to wear? And for fucks sake did all of his t-shirts have to be that tight? Seriously, the outline of his abs was _so_ obvious that the Italian felt embarrassed for the clueless, unabashed Spaniard.

 _CHIGI! GET YOUR SHIT TOGETHER LOVINA STOP LOOKING._

"Eheheh Lovi, your face looks so cute when you cringe," Antonio chuckled. Reaching over the table, the Spaniard poked the Italian's cheek, causing her cheeks to flush. But that was it. She didn't yell. She didn't cuss. And she didn't punch him. Taken aback, Antonio let out a low whistle. "Que? No threats of death or mutilation?" he mocked in a teasing voice.

Lovina averted her gaze to the table. She traced her fingers over the smooth wooden surface in a devoid manner. "I'm not in the mood, alright? I've got a lot a shit to deal with right now." The Italian stopped. Lovina cussed under her breath when she was met with the Spaniard's serious expression. "What?!" she demanded irritably.

Antonio merely stared in response. The Spaniard pursed his lips. Lovina shifted and squirmed under his stern and unrelenting gaze. The silence was becoming unbearable. Lovina moved to stand up again. "Lovi, wait!" Antonio whispered. "I know...I know what happened with your grandfather. So, if you want to talk about it, eh..." Antonio scratched his head nervously. The Spaniard then proceeded to swallow down a large gulp of fear. "I'm here for you," he finished.

Lovina settled back down in her seat. The tension between them was quite awkward to say the least. "Would you keep it down, bastard? People are starting to stare," she hissed.

Antonio tsked. "Lovi, are you even listening to me?"

"Well fuck what you just said, it's not like you care anyways." Lovina reached for her bag. A tanned hand grabbed onto her wrist. Antonio leaned in closer to the Italian. His eyes were both furious and unwavering. They confronted the Italian's frigid glare head on. "Listen, Lovi," the Spaniard inhaled deeply. Lovina could tell that he was becoming impatient. "I'll tell you this again and however many more times that I have to. No matter what you say to me, _nothing_ is going to change how I feel about you. Now, are you going to talk to me or what?"

Crossing his arms, Antonio leaned back into the cushioning of the booth. The Spaniard kept his chin held high. He was waiting for the Italian to respond to his challenge. Lovina laughed. Her hard-ass persona was beginning to crack. She needed to seek full recovery from the Spaniard's tactful provocation. "Oh please. Spare the bullshit. I'm not weak. I can deal with my problems just fine, thank you very much.

Expecting such a comment, Antonio sighed. "I'm not doubting your strength Lovina. But it always helps if you have someone to talk to."

Lovina scoffed. "Che! I work better on my own. Always have, and always will." This rebuttal didn't seem to faze the Spaniard in the slightest. But rather he appeared to be amused. A mocking smirk crept onto his face. His eyes gleamed with a mischievous light. They bored right into Italian, who was already flustered enough as it was. "Well, I'm not leaving until you talk to me~!"

The Italian merely scowled in response. She knew that there was no chance of shaking off this bastard.

"Silly Lovi," the Spaniard tutted. "You need to learn how to take care of yourself properly. Your stomach's been growling this entire time." Antonio relished in the triumph of causing Lovina to blush once more. The Italian was nearly blinded by the Spaniard's swaggering, toothy grin. She almost didn't hear him offer to buy her food.

Lovina silently fumed to herself. "The fuck it was bastard!" The Italian's brows furrowed into a frown. Her frustration peaked when she found herself unable to come up with an appropriate excuse for her stomach's rowdiness. Defeated, Lovina shoulders fell into a slump. She absolutely refused to look the Spaniard in the eyes. Seeing his gleeful expression would be nothing short of tortuous. And she certainly wasn't going to give that smug bastard any more satisfaction. His head was already large enough as it was.

"Cherry danish and a white hot chocolate," the Italian grumbled.

"Ooops sorry hehe~, I do have one price."

"WHAT?!"

"I want you to say please."

"Antonio?"

"Hmmmm~?"

Lovina paused, her mouth slowly shaping out the letter P as she aimed another glare at the moronic and now ego inflated Spaniard. "PUSSY."

The Italian beamed as she watched the Spaniard, whose manhood was now in question, stomp over to the front counter.

"And you called me your henchmen? Who's the Boss now, huh you stupid bastard?"

* * *

 **Antonio's POV:**

Antonio thanked and paid the Cashier. The Spaniard then grabbed a tray filled with two steaming cups of white hot chocolate and a small brown pastry bag. Antonio was still full from the carbs of Feli's heavy pasta lunch, so all he could do was hope and pray to God that Lovina wouldn't get angry at him for not eating. Eating, from what he knew, was a very social event for Italians, and the Spaniard didn't want Lovina to feel awkward by being the only one to eat.

Although he wasn't facing her, the Spaniard could still feel the glare of the Italian's smug hazel eyes. She had effectively unnerved him. Lovina was ruthlessly testing his patience and Antonio was determined not to give up. The Spaniard had to keep reminding himself that the Italian was a prideful woman, for if he didn't he surely wouldn't have been able to restrain himself from pulling Lovina into a tight, squishing embrace. Tch! It was a pity that Lovina hissed at any sign of human contact.

Sighing, the Spaniard walked towards their booth. A wry smile played onto his face when he saw the Italian's eyes widen with an eagerness that could only state just how hungry she truly was. Still a few paces away, the Spaniard raised the pastry bag into the air. He proceeded to wave it around in a teasing manner. Antonio took immense pleasure at the sight of Lovina's desperation. Her eyes preyed upon the bags every move.

The Italian angrily bit her lip. She had finally clued into the Spaniard's badgering ploys. Refusing to comply with his mirthful schemes, Lovina flipped her long auburn hair over her shoulder. The Italian then batted her lashes at him. Her lips were pursed into an all-knowing scowl. The only thing that Antonio could do was gape at her. Cursing himself for his moment of weakness, Antonio's eyes lingered over the Italian's slim body, which was now positioned into a casual stance. Lovina draped an arm along the rim of the booth in a provocatively aloof manner. The dark navy blue crop top that she wore had hiked its way half way up her midsection, revealing a flat, olive toned stomach. Antonio shook his head. The girl was merely toying with him, as he was to her, but mierda was it ever working!

When the Spaniard finally reached their booth, the Italian's hands unconsciously snapped up to grab her food. Lovina scoffed. "Che! Took you long enough, bastard." Eyes still hovering over her delicate figure, Antonio merely stood at the entrance of the booth. The Spaniard absently ran a hand through his chocolate brown curls. Lovina eyed him with a shrewd expression. "Chigi. Could you stop acting like an idiota and just sit down already?"

The Spaniard quickly snapped out of his dazed state. "Lo Siento, bella," the Spaniard murmured. Antonio was ignorant to the fact that he just slid into Lovina's side of the booth. The Italian, surprisingly enough, was also oblivious to this. Lovina was too busy sinking her teeth into the fluffy, jelly-filled pastry to notice. She was quite ravenous to the say the least. It was only until the Italian paused to take a sip out of her hot chocolate that she realized that the Spaniard was sitting right next to her. Lovina aimed an irritated glare at the seemingly stupefied Spaniard. "Have you ever heard of personal space?" she huffed in between devouring gigantic mouthfuls of her delicious treat.

Antonio blinked. "Oh." The Spaniard's eyebrows furrowed in contemplation. Not long after, the Spaniard's face lit up with a devious light. He silently schemed to himself. It would be foolish not to take advantage of this golden opportunity, after all. Glowering at the recently emptied pastry bag, Lovina let out a soft whimper. The Italian's eyes shifted towards her cup of hot chocolate. The disappointed look on her face was clear. The sweet drink wouldn't be able to satisfy her raging hunger.

"Fuck. I'm still hungry."

The Spaniard couldn't help himself. Antonio snaked an arm around the Italian's shoulders and chuckled. "Payback Lovi~!" he sang. Lovina's fists curled dangerously, but rather than winding the Spaniard, as she usually would, the Italian decided to distract herself and drink away her troubles by taking another sip out of her hot chocolate. Correction, a _chug_ of hot chocolate. "Lovi~!" the Spaniard gleefully sang into the Italian's already reddening ears.

Face flushing mercilessly, Lovina spluttered. She was choking. The Italian doubled over in a fit of hacking coughs. "Damn. Bastard," she seethed through clenched teeth. "Are you trying to kill me or something?" Antonio rubbed a palm over her back, patting her occasionally whenever she hiccuped. The Spaniard was surprised. He was confused as to why she hadn't pushed him away at this point. But he supposed that she had other things on her mind. Like breathing.

The Spaniard shrugged. "No, but I would like something else from you."

"Oh and what's that?"

"Please _chica_ , just talk to me," Antonio begged. Keeping her emotions bottled up clearly bothered the Italian. Antonio felt Lovina's entire body tense up under his embrace. She was stiff. Rigid. Unfeeling. It was quite unfortunate really. For a brief moment, the Spaniard thought that he had actually gotten through to the stubborn Italian. But alas, it seemed as if she had fallen back onto her greatest defense; anger. "Please, Lovi?" Antonio spoke up again when it was clear that Lovina wasn't going to answer him.

Lovina's harsh facial expression softened a bit. A perplexed look crossed over her face and her eyebrows furrowed into a somber frown. Prying Antonio's arm off of her shoulders, the Italian turned so that she could establish direct eye contact with him. "Listen," she whispered in a cracked voice. Antonio's heart just about shattered in two. Lovina sounded positively heartbroken.

"My business is my business. You have absolutely no obligation to get involved." Antonio opened his mouth to protest, but Lovina held up a hand to silence him. "But, if you really want to listen. I'll tell you."

Beaming with unrelenting happiness, the Spaniard pulled the grumbling Italian into another hug. Antonio let out a contented sigh as he buried his nose deep into the tresses of Lovina's soft, auburn curls. "Go for it, bella."

* * *

 **Lovina's POV:**

Lovina relaxed when the Spaniard tucked his chin over her head. Oddly enough, this gesture was very comforting and she thoroughly appreciated it. No matter how small and irrelevant it would have seemed to any other person. Reaching for her hot chocolate, the Italian moaned when she found it to be empty. Antonio chuckled into her ear. "You can have some of mine," he offered. The Spaniard then gestured towards his half-full cup.

The Italian revolted at the thought. "Stupid bastard. That has your spit in it."

"Tch! Lovina!" the Spaniard deadpanned. Hands shaking with uncertainty, Lovina reached over to snatch his hot chocolate. Slowly raising it to her lips, the Italian suspiciously eyed the rim of the cup. She was inspecting it for any sight of the bastard's gems. "Careful now, you might fall in love with me if you drink it~"

The Italian didn't hesitate to slam the cup back onto the table. Hot chocolate splashed all over the place."Wouldn't want that to happen, now would we?" The Italian cackled upon seeing the Spaniard's downtrodden face. Pulling away from their embrace, Antonio crossed his arms, huffed out a childish retort in Spanish, and scowled to himself. For some strange fucking reason, Lovina felt guilty. The Spaniard's shoulders were slumped. He turned his head to look outside the cafe's window. Secretly, the Italian admired his side profile. She liked the way how his curls fell freely into his face. She was also impressed by the stoic manner in which he had composed himself with. He held his head up high. The Spaniard was indignant. Proud even. Almost like her...

The silence was beginning to get to Lovina. She had to say something. Anything.

"I want to become a lawyer!" she blurted out.

Anything but that. Jesus fucking Christ.

The Spaniard turned around to face her. His green eyes were wide and skeptical as he stared at the Italian with a bewildered look on his face. " _Qué_?" he asked.

Lovina felt numb. Berating herself for her impulsiveness, the Italian cursed under her breath. Lovina began to fidget with her hands. "Eh, my Nonno wants Feli and I to take over the family restaurant after we graduate. He's taking care of it for now, but he's getting older and he's already busy enough as it is...

"I-I just don't want my life to be decided like that, you know? No one has ever asked me what _I_ want to with my life and it pisses me right the fuck off!" Lovina finished with an impatient huff. Her breathing was ragged and she had no hope of recollecting herself. After eighteen years of being shamed into conforming to the status quo, Lovina had finally stood up to oppose her family's will. She had stepped into a new world. A world that was free from overriding dictations and unrealistic expectations.

Nervous, Lovina swallowed down her fear and perhaps even some of her pride. The Spaniard merely just stared at her again. His lips were pursed in thought as he let another round of painstaking silence fall between them...that is until he started to laugh. The Italian looked down at her shoes. She was woefully embarrassed. Of course that bastard would laugh at her. Silly right? A hot head like her becoming a lawyer? For her to be invested in something so serious? Who was she kidding?

Lovina's vision began blur. She then proceeded to puff up her chest. She needed to find a way to bluff her way out of this situation and fast. "HAHAHAH! Just kidding bastard," The Italian snorted in the midst of stifling her tears. "Me? A _lawyer_? Pft!" Lovina's voiced trailed off when she felt her throat constrict. "What a fucking joke," she whispered to herself.

 _My life's a fucking joke_

The Spaniard, however, wasn't fooled in the slightest bit.

Scooting closer to the Italian, Antonio used his thumb to tilt up her chin. Kind green eyes met a disbelieving set of hazel ones. "Lovi! That's so great of you! With your determination, I'm sure that you'd make a fantastic lawyer one day!" The Spaniard grinned earnestly only to falter when he noticed the Italian's crestfallen expression.

"Oh, Lovi. Are you crying?" The Spaniard choked out. Without a second thought, Lovina hurled herself into the Spaniard's arms. She let her head fall against the crook of his neck. The Italian was trembling out of both relief and unrelenting happiness. The warmth of acceptance tingled all through out her body. It comforted her. Every ounce of inhibition that she had once held was now gone. Feelings of elation quickly overcame her. "Damn you, you stupid bastard!" She wailed. "Fuck you for making me feel this way!" the Italian angrily rubbed at her eyes.

Disorientated, Lovina pulled away from the gawking Spaniard. Slowly but surely, a sly grin crept onto the Spaniard's face. Antonio cupped her face with steady, tender hands. "You're blushing mi amour," he purred.

Lovina smacked the Spaniard's hands away. "The fuck I am!" she protested half-halfheartedly.

Antonio ducked to avoid a slap to the face. "Hey! I just thought of something~! the Spaniard winked. Lovina was too busy picking up her dignity to notice. Regardless, Antonio decided to enlighten her with another one of his bastardly ideas. "If you're a lawyer and I'm a cop...we'd make a pretty good tag team, no?" he mused out in a gravelly suggestive tone. Lovina stared at the Spaniard in horror. Images of him groping her in the back of a cop car seared straight into her brain like a red hot fucking iron. After all, it was his due diligence to punish naughty girls... OH MY FUCK NO! Lovina's eyes began to twitch involuntarily. The Italian's jaw was set into a tight, unrelenting grimace. Her tortuous imagination was getting the best of her.

The Spaniard stroked his chin. It wasn't much of surprise that he was amused by her evident flusterment. "Oh Lovi, what am I going to do with you?" he sighed out in exasperation.

"Leave me to die, that's what!" the Italian growled at the ground. Flinching when Antonio, in good nature, began to play with her hair, Lovina attempted to scoot away from him. But the Spaniard already had another plan in store for her. Lovina squelched when she found herself trapped in another one of Antonio's rib crushing embraces. "Jesus, fuck! Can you at least let me breathe?!"

Cradling the stubborn little Italian in his arms, Antonio _slightly_ lessened up on his grip of her. "Lo Siento," he murmured into her hair. Lovina shivered. "I-Um, well, uh..." the Italian stammered. She was completely floored by the Spaniard's blatant act of affection. Leaning in closer, Antonio placed his forehead against the fuming Italian's cheek.

"Are you feeling better now?" he asked. Lovina took a deep breath. She inhaled the sharp, musky scent of the Spaniard's cologne. At least he eased up on it like she had asked for him to. Come to think of it, the smell actually wasn't that bad. "S-si."

Satisfied with this answer, the Spaniard's eyes grazed over the Italian's heated face. He smirked at her. Lovina was slowly being provoked into temptation. The Italian was now the one to fall into a state of entrancement. Her eyes never wavered from the piercing set of green eyes that rolled right into her feigned confidence. She was slipping and the smug bastard knew exactly what he was doing. Just before the tension could get any worse, Antonio leaned in and kissed the Italian. His lips and hands were gentle. The Spaniard's fingers knotted themselves in the Italian's hair. Lovina closed her eyes. She let herself relax into the kiss. She poured out her frustration into the Spaniard's more than willing mouth. Antonio complied and opened his mouth when she nipped at his bottom lip. Their tongues slipped in together, and true bliss was the result. They were both wrapped up in the passion of the moment.

The moment didn't last long.

The Italian scowled. Common sense was a bitch. "Wait, Antonio," Lovina murmured in between kisses. "Oi!" The Italian cried out when the Spaniard grabbed her hand. With a playful grin, he licked off some spare jelly from her index finger. Lovina deadpanned. Just what the fuck kind of foreplay was that? "We shouldn't be doing this here."

"Kesesese. I agree." With a cry, Lovina threw herself out of the Spaniard's arms. Unfortunately, that meant slamming into the cafe window at full force. After peeling her face off of the window, cue angry muffled grunt, the Italian turned around to glare at a very smug looking albino clown.

The Spaniard's voice lowered to an icy tone. "Gilbert, what are you doing _here_?" Antonio's question came off as a demand.

Red eyes gleaming with malice, Gilbert leaned over and smacked a hand against the table. If people weren't staring before, they certainly were now. "Oh, you know. I was just strolling around, looking for some parties, and I was like: 'Hey what a nice cafe'" the German made a calculated pause in the midst of his tyrannical rant. Gilbert took a moment to bask in the couple's flustered expressions before he decided to continue. "But when I saw you two sitting here, I just _had_ to investigate!" he drawled.

Antonio rolled his eyes. "I thought that you were hanging out with Maddie tonight?"

" _Ja,_ I am. But I got bored!" the German pouted obnoxiously.

"Well go be bored somewhere else!" Lovina raged. "Actually you know what? Fuck it. I'm leaving." And with that, the Italian crawled over the Spaniard's lap, pushed past Gilbert, and stomped out of the cafe.

"LOVI WAIT!" But Lovina was already long gone. Groaning, Antonio slumped back into the booth. He was completely and utterly defeated.

Gilbert beamed. "Cock block achieved."

* * *

 **Maddie's POV** (Saturday Night)

 _Tabarnak! She was going to be late for class! Maddie sprinted through the hallways, skidding around corners as she barreled full speed towards her locker. Breathing heavily, Maddie fumbled with the digits of her lock. Her hand repeatedly jerked at the metal piece but to no avail. Maddie cried out in frustration. Her fists pounded against the hard metal surface of her locker. "Open up!" she demanded futilely. Defeated, Maddie banged her head against the locker. Students gave her the occasional odd stare, but most of them didn't heed her any attention. This, of course, was nothing new for the Canadian. She was used to being invisible._

 _After another few minutes of jerking the lock and swearing profusely, the Canadian was finally able pry open her locker. She grabbed her math text book and a handful of scrap pens. Without a breath to spare, Maddie was off again, racing through the hallways. She was invisible and silent...or so she had thought. To get to her Math class she had to pass through the seniors' wing and that quite often resulted in some form of tormenting._

 _Shouldering through the oblivious masses, Maddie kept her eyes averted to the ground. The Canadian trembled when she heard the clack of heels chase after her. Quickening her pace, the Canadian trudged on. Her eyes were desperately set on her target. The door was only a few paces away. Almost there..._

 _A foot stuck out to trip the Canadian._

 _"Ack!" Maddie cried out. With a loud crash, the Canadian found herself on the ground. Snickers could be heard around her. But that wasn't Maddie's greatest concern at the moment. What she was concerned about, however, was the black pumped heel that hovered dangerously in front of her face. "Oops! Sorry hun~!" The Canadian's mystery attacker spoke out in a sickeningly sweet voice._

 _Refusing to respond to her tormentor, Maddie reached for her textbook. She didn't want to cause any more trouble. Getting to class was her only priority. "Awwww, no answer? How boring~!"_

" _LEAVE HER ALONE!" a deep, booming voice echoed from the other end of the hallway. Smirking, Maddie looked up to meet the gaze of the bimbo who had tripped her. But, much to her surprise, no one was there. In fact, the entire hall way had been mysteriously emptied. Well, minus the exception of the obscured figure that was now bounding towards her. It was probably her brother. "I'm fine Alfred." she called out. The Canadian stood up and brushed off the dirt from her pants._

 _"Kesesese. Who's Alfred?" Cackling, the German strolled over to the Canadian. "What, you're not even going to say hi?" Unnerved by the hungry look on Gilbert's face, Maddie took a few steps back. The German followed. With no where to go, Maddie quickly found herself pressed up against a row of lockers. "N-no, it's just. I didn't need your help that's all," she huffed._

 _Musing to himself, Gilbert moved closer to the Canadian. Mischief burned in his eyes and Maddie wasn't keen on finding out what kind of twisted schemes that he had entailed for her. The Canadian sidestepped, but the German slammed both of his palms against the locker. Maddie was trapped. The German had made sure to that. Gilbert flashed Maddie with a provocatively devilish grin. "Hmmmmm. Trying to escape now, are we?" he inquired with a lazy drawl of the tongue._

("MADDIE!")

 _"I have a class to go to, dumbass. Now move," the Canadian retorted._

 _Gilbert cocked his head to the side. "But what if I wanted to teach you a class of my own?"_

("MADDIE. WAKE UP!")

" _Oh?" the Canadian mocked. "And what would that be?" The German leaned closer. His red eyes darkened considerably. "This," he whispered. Maddie swallowed when Gilbert reached to tuck a stray curl behind her ear. After a moment of brief, yet oh so excruciating hesitation, Gilbert bent over and pressed his lips against the crook of the Canadian's neck. The German chuckled when she let out a strangled gasp. Maddie clenched her teeth together. Stubborn in her will, she attempted to suppress the moans that were just begging to be released from her lips. And just when she thought that she couldn't bear it anymore, Gilbert sighed into her neck. His hot breath sent shivers down her spine._

 _The German pulled away. "Hey Maddie?"_

 _"Y-yeah?"_

 _"There's a smudge of dirt on your nose."_

 _"O-oh."_

 _"Kesesese. Let me help you." The German leaned even closer. His lips brushed against the tip of her nose. "G-gilbert, what are you doing?" Maddie stammered. Of course there was no dirt on her nose. It was merely an excuse. How foolish of her._

 _"I'm making you fall in love with the awesome me of course," the German shrugged. "And it looks like its working."_

(I MADE PANCAKES!")

"DAMN YOU GERMAN!" With a jolt, the Canadian sat up in her bed. Maddie shivered. Traces of her strange dream still whirred about in her head.

Lips pursed into an all knowing smile, the French gave the Canadian a smug one over. She was currently sitting at the foot of Maddie's bed. As she waited for Maddie to regain her senses, Cheya snacked on a handful of Jalapeno Doritos. "Oh, you're awake!" she giggled.

"Yeah, I'm up. Erm, did I say anything weird while I was sleeping? I mean... I was just wondering, eh?"

Cheya's brows furrowed with mock contemplation. "No, nothing really. Just something about a certain German," she winked.

"NO. It's not what you think!"

Cheya shrugged off the Canadian's protestation. "Whatever Pancake. I just came here to tell you that I'm leaving soon. I'm heading over to Gilbert's to help him edit a paper, and then I'm off to Arthur's for a bit."

"Arthur's letting you visit his apartment?!"

After stuffing her face with another handful of chips, Cheya shed Maddie with an impish looking grin. "It's amazing how far a bribe can take you," she mused.

* * *

Woooo another chapter done! This one was one of my personal favorites. This chapter kinda just wrote itself. It's been done since Saturday actually, but since I'm going into Midterms, I decided to put off my uploading for a couple of days. That way the wait's not as long for the next chapter. Once Midterms are over, which is next thursday, I should be back to a semi-regular uploading schedule. Also my reading break starts on the 12 , so that week I should be able to upload an extra chapter or so.

Readers Question (I'm just going to share it with you all!): What's the hardest part about writing your story? Answer: Coming up with puns for the chapter names haha.

COMING SOON TO A CHAPTER NEAR YOU: Gerita (well that was anticlimactic)


	14. All Wined Up

**All Wined Up:**

 **Cheya's POV:** (Saturday Afternoon)

Slouching around in my sweats, I trudged through the dingy hallways of the Sparta dorm, wincing whenever I heard a loud bang. Empty beer bottles obstructed my path and garbage cans overflowed with party streamers, condom wrappers, junk food packaging and various other items that I would rather not mention.

"Long time no see Cheya." A gravelly voice purred from my left. I turned around to face a very intoxicated Matthias. I rolled my eyes. Who in God's name got drunk at three in the afternoon? Matthias' indigo blue eyes gleamed with amusement. The Dane smirked as if he had just said the most philosophical comment in the world. I stifled my laughter. The dork was still wearing his pajamas. For a self-proclaimed casanova, Matthias wasn't nearly as smooth as he thought himself out to be.

"Long night of partying?" I mused.

"Yes Ma'am!" the Dane slurred back in response. Stumbling over his own feet, Matthias leaned against the wall for support. "Ah, maybe I should go back to my room eheh. Say hi to Maddie for me will you?" he muttered.

I let out a noncommittal hum. "Will do." The Dane waved his goodbyes, but not before shedding me with a provocative wink. Or should I say blink? He was still too drunk to have any sense of muscle coordination. I watched Matthias stagger down the hallway. I waited until he had safely entered his room before I turned on my heels and and left in search of Gilbert's room.

My search didn't last very long.

A room two doors down suddenly burst open. An angry looking Gilbert poked his head out into the hallway. "SIMMER THE FUCK DOWN MATTHIAS! NO MEANS NO!" he seethed. The German's red eyes burned with agitation. His hands began to twitch. It looked like he truly considered snapping the Dane's neck in two. Gilbert's expression immediately softened when he recognized that it was me standing out in the hallway rather than some drunk, delusional frat boy.

The German chuckled. "Sorry," he apologized. "The damn idiot's been trying to rouse a drinking riot all day."

My jaw nearly hit the floor. "Oh woe is me." I placed a hand over my forehead and pretended to sway to the side. I guess you could say that I had a flare for being dramatic. "The 'Great Gilbert' turning down a beer? Well I never!"

Gilbert grunted. His chest puffed up in offense. He perceived my comment to be an indefinite challenge to his manhood. Mon Dieu, did that boy ever have a massive ego.

"Believe me, if you weren't here, I would be deep throating those beers like no tomorrow."

"Argh! Gross!" I protested. "I could have gone my entire life without imagining that."

Gilbert merely shrugged. "You're the one who imagined it in a sexual way."

I decided to ignore that comment. I pushed past Gilbert. "Move you big idiot!" I playfully bumped shoulders with him, but alas, I didn't even get him to budge. Gilbert might be lanky, but he was stronger than he looked.

I walked/ stumbled my way into his dorm room. Gilbert may or may not have tickled my rib cage when I walked past him. Tch! Douche bag. It consisted of two shabby single beds, a matching pair of peeling wooden dressers, and a small glass frame that had the audacity to call itself a window. The air was stale. My breath hitched when an unnerving sort of revelation dawned on me. I was going to be alone. With Gilbert. In a small room where no one, with the exception of an incoherent Matthias, could possibly interrupt us. Oh no. What did I just get myself into?

Perhaps his earlier behaviour was simply a fluke, but I wasn't about to let my guard down. There was still the possibility that he had feelings for me and I had to make sure that I didn't elicit any mixed signals. I felt terrible. This was the only way that I could set things straight. Gilbert was an amazing friend and I didn't want to lose him over something as petty as an inconsequential crush.

"So..." I started awkwardly. "What's this paper that I'm editing for you?" Gilbert crouched by the foot of his bed. He pulled out his lap top from his backpack. "It's a paper for my Criminal Justice Class," he explained. The German motioned me forward. I snapped out of my trance. I wiped the dumb look from my face, shut the door, and walked over to him. I sat next to him on the foot of the bed. I was conscious to keep an appropriate amount of distance between us.

"Cool," I hummed. I was at odds as to what to say. Silence filled the air. When it was clear that neither of us was going to speak again, I grabbed Gilbert's lap top and began to skim over his essay. My anxiety hindered my ability to absorb any of the words that I was reading.

Gilbert cleared his throat. "It would be more comfortable if we leaned up against the bed frame," he suggested. And with that, both of us crawled over to sit by the front of the bed. The mattress creaked under our weight. Gilbert sat much closer to me this time. His shoulder's brushed up against mine. I decided to ignore it.

And what a mistake that was.

* * *

 **Gilbert's POV:**

Gilbert could hardly breathe. His heart pounded against his ribs so hard that he had half the mind to check to see if they were broken. Cheya was sitting right next to him. She was so close. So warm. So...quiet? The French had reserved herself to silence as she edited his paper. Her amber eyes glossed over the material with an unfeeling eye. Cheya gave little to no response when Gilbert rubbed a thumb over the back of her hand. For a brief moment, her body tensed. The French's brows furrowed with perturbation. Not long after, she let out a sigh and relaxed her shoulders. This only added more to Gilbert's ever growing confusion.

Cheya turned to give Gilbert a faint, quirky smile. "I heard that Ludwig was visiting the University today."

Gilbert had a hard time masking his disappointment. He knew that he was being irrational, but he couldn't help but feel jealous. He hardly ever got to spend time with Cheya as of late, and talking about his brother wasn't exactly at the forefront of his mind. What did come to mind, however, was the constant jolts of nervousness that he felt over the current situation. The French was merely inches away from the grasp of his finger tips. She was so close, yet so far away at the same time. The German longed for a meaningful conversation, but he had no means of starting one. He berated himself for his cowardice.

 _Just tell her already damnit._

Gilbert nodded his head. " _Ja_ , the football team's been scouting him for a while."

"That's great!" Cheya beamed. "Eh, Gilbert?" Still absorbed in his thoughts, the French's words fell silent on the German's ears. He was stuck in a state of rumination. He felt sick to his stomach. He felt as if his entire life could come crashing down at any moment. After years of suppressing his feelings, Gilbert could finally admit that he had feelings for this girl. But now, with them being alone together, the stakes were higher than ever. If he made one wrong move, their entire friendship could be ruined. It was hard for him. It truly was. To sit back all those years and stand on the sidelines. To helplessly watch other boys attempt to capture her wild and untameable heart. It was intimidating. For the first time in his life, Gilbert found himself cowering in the face of a challenge. He had been humbled to his core. So easily had he been stripped of his confidence. His lurking insecurities had always gotten the better of him, and today was no exception.

"Gilbert?" The French's question went unanswered. "Are you even listening to me?" Cheya's voice raised a few octaves. This warned Gilbert that if he didn't speak soon, that he would most definitely have to deal with a swift kick to the groin. Angry amber eyes bored holes into the side of his head.

The German coughed and spluttered when he felt a rough hand come crashing down onto his shoulder blade. "Ah! Danke, Danke," Gilbert said in a rushed whisper. "I didn't quite catch that." Gilbert bowed his head in shame. Averting his gaze away from his scowling friend, the German tended to scrolling through his phone. He was pretending to act disinterested for he had no other defense to fall back on.

It was quite pathetic really. He couldn't even engage in a proper conversation.

Cheya clearly wasn't having any of it today. Growling profanities under her breath, the French leaned closer to the German. Her breath tickled his quickly reddening ear. Cheya then raised a slender finger to flick him in the ear. "Don't make me repeat myself, Beilschmidt." The German found himself transfixed by her piercing gaze. His mood was gradually beginning to lift. Her eyes glistened with the fiery look that he loved and had become so well accustomed to.

The French's soft lips puckered into a glowering grimace. She lifted a skeptical brow at him. "Perhaps I should give you some time to find your tongue then?" With an impatient sounding huff, Cheya diverted her attention back to the lap top screen.

Peeking at her from the corner of his eye, the German comforted himself by admiring his friend in silence. A strained expression crossed over his face. The emotional distance between them was growing. It had become so unbearable that Gilbert felt himself crippling under the pressure. She was just so beautiful. He loved the way how her hair fell in loose waves over shoulders. He found it adorable how her long, slender eyebrows would furrow with concentration. She lit up his entire world, and Gilbert couldn't help but reminiscence about the past. He had made so many mistakes. He should have told her sooner...

The German sucked in his breath. His chest swelled with feigned pride. He was going to boast his way out of his rut. No more of this pessimistic moping business."Ready to bow down to the awesomeness of my paper?" he inquired.

Cheya gave him a loathsome look. "Oh look, it talks," she grumbled. "If you had been listening to me earlier, you would have known that I commented on your use of that very word. Saying that something is 'awesome' is a poor way of justifying an argument."

"Fine!" Gilbert crossed his arms and sighed. Even though Cheya had an infinite rebellious side to her, she had always excelled at school. That was one thing that Gilbert had always admired her for. Stubborn as she may be, her commitment towards her schooling was exceedingly remarkable. On the other hand, that meant that she had also taken the liberty to nag him about his poor work and study habits.

Deciding to play along with his ruse, Gilbert decided to humor the French. He leaned in closer to peer down at the screen. "What other words can I use then, oh smart one?" the German asked, knowing quite well that he would regret saying these words sooner or later. He had awakened the nerd within her, and once it was released there would be no going back. As if they too sensed the oncoming nerd apocalypse, Gilbert's ears began to throb. He was more than prepared for the onslaught of lectures that would most inevitably bore him to death.

"Hmmm. In this context you could use something like awe-inspiring." Cheya stopped mid-sentence to give Gilbert a puzzled look. The German blushed in response. She had caught him staring at her. Swallowing down his nervousness, Gilbert let his mouth run free. He had a horrible habit of not being able to shut himself up. His feelings for Cheya had only amplified the projectile vomit of irrelevant words that spewed from his mouth.

"Hey! Want to do something fun?" he blurted out.

A sly grin formed on Cheya's impish face. "I don't know, do I?" Her devious facial expression answered his question. The French's hands implored for him to continue.

The German beamed back. Elation filled and electrified his entire body. The tension between them had successfully been brushed off. "Well, for one thing, I have candy!"

Cheya waved her hand around impatiently. "I'm listening…."

"Want to troll on omegle?"

Almost immediately, the French's face revolted with disgust. But alas, Gilbert could have cared less. This was the exact reaction that he was looking for and he relished in it. "Don't you worry your pretty little head," he chuckled. "I'll be doing most of the work." The German stopped to look at his friend. His face was hesitant and cautious. He was looking for reassurance.

"Oh fine," the French huffed. "Do whatever you want."

A crooked grin played onto Gilbert's face. "Awesome! Uh...can I ask you a favor?'

"Ugh, what?" Cheya warily asked the German.

"Do you have a spare bra to lend?"

"Excuse me?!"

After several rounds of bribing, Gilbert had finally convinced the French to lend him her spare bra. Grumbling under her breath, Cheya pulled out a laced bra from her gym bag. Fierce amber eyes bored into the German. Gilbert didn't dare to make a comment. The German coughed to mask his laughter. He did his best to look away from the disgruntled French. He did, however, come very close to cracking up with laughter. But of course, he couldn't pass up on such a golden opportunity to tease her. He would accept his punishment with open arms if it meant that he could get a livid reaction out of his friend.

"MEOOOOOW!" the German hooted.

Cheya instantly fell back on the defensive. She clutched the bra to her chest. The French shyly let her hair fall into her face. She was blushing profusely under the German's watchful and ever amused gaze.

"Oh shut it will you?" the French snapped. Cheya held up the bra to the air. "Why do you need this anyways?" The French tossed the bra across the room. The German decided that he was better off not answering this question. He caught the bra without any effort. Cheya sat on the foot of his bed. "And where's my damn candy?!" she muttered. The grump was clearly sugar deprived.

Gilbert stood up. He stretched his arms and cracked his neck on both sides. "Close your eyes," he ordered. Surprisingly, Cheya complied to his whims. The German supposed that she must have been hungry. It would explain why she was acting so docile, and, you know, not like the smug, fiery girl that he knew and loved. Gilbert shrugged himself out of his vintage Beatles t-shirt.

The German grinned. "You can open your eyes now." The French's eyes fluttered open, and much to Gilbert's dismay, she cringed. Cheya raised a hand to shield her eyes.

"Merde! Gilbert, was that really necessary?" she groaned.

Blinded by his fracture ego, the German pouted. "What? It's not like you haven't seen my awesome abs before?"

Cheya snorted. "Forgive me. I was momentarily blinded by your pastiness." A sly grin returned to the French's face. Her eyes never wavered as they gleefully watched Gilbert grovel under the weight of her comment. Putting the German in his place was one of her many talents. It took Gilbert a brief moment to untie the knot in his tongue. When he regained his composure, however, Gilbert practically gleamed. His brash attitude had begun to take over once more. The rhythm of faint-hearted banter swept across the room.

"Tsk! Keep it up with that attitude of yours and I won't share my Malteser's with you," the German chided. Gilbert waggled a scolding finger in front of the now drooling French.

Desperate amber eyes scanned over every square inch of the room. Cheya stood up abruptly. "Where are they?!" she interrogated.

Gilbert raised his hands in surrender. "In my backpack under the..." The German faltered. He didn't even get to finish his sentence. The French was already rummaging through his bag. A triumphant cry rang through out the room. Cheya just about ripped the bag of candy in half. She scarfed them down quick. Gilbert shrugged. It didn't matter to him really. She was the only reason why he'd purchased that junk in the first place.

The German picked up the bra and inspected it. He traced a finger over the soft, satin surface. Gilbert fumbled with the foreign, unfamiliar piece of clothing. His brows furrowed in confusion. How did the hooks work again? And Verdammt! What was this, a bra for ants?

Happily stuffing her face with candy, Cheya looked up to give Gilbert a blank look. She was completely unfazed by the bizarre situation that had just unfolded in front of her.

"Do yew need any halp?" she huffed. The French swallowed down a grand lump of chocolate, sugary mush.

The German scoffed indignantly. "Me? Of course not!" Gilbert struggled to put on the bra. The fabric stretched as he wrapped it around his chest. "Well, uh, maybe I could use a little help with the hooks."Grinning, Cheya helped the German clasp the bra shut. The French waved off his grunts of pain. She loosened the straps, but even then, it was still a tight fit. The German was too broad shouldered.

Stifling her laughter, Cheya cupped a hand over her mouth. "It's practically suffocating you," she giggled. Well she wasn't wrong; Gilbert could hardly breath. The straps painfully dug into his shoulders. He clearly hadn't thought this through. Gilbert bit his lip. Fuck it. He was going to follow through with his plan. He was making her laugh and that's all that mattered in the end.

Still unable to wipe the smug grin from her face, Cheya retreated back to her spot on the bed. If Gilbert hadn't been fumbling to reposition the bra, he could have sworn that he had seen the flash of a camera.

Cheya looked up from the lap top. "I'm ready whenever you are," she sighed. "Remind me again. Why did I agree to do this?" The French groaned loathsomely.

 **"** Well, for one thing, you have no fun in your life. Lately all you've been doing is studying in the library," the German answered. "You'd think that you were meeting up with someone, he joked only to falter when he saw Cheya's face flicker with a brief wave of guilt.

Waving it off, Gilbert jumped onto the bed. The German grinned to himself. The French's face had flushed to an adorable shade of pink.

"So..." Gilbert rubbed his hands together in a devious manner. "Have you found someone for me to traumatize yet?"

"Nope! But here," Cheya handed him the laptop. "I want absolutely no part in this," she scoffed.

Gilbert rolled his eyes. "Ja, ja. You already told me that." Cupping his chest with both hands, the German admired himself in the webcam. "Hmmmm," he mused. Gilbert fixed the camera. The sole focus was now on his chest. His face was completely hidden from view. "Perfect! I totally look like a girl now!"

Cheya deadpanned. "I honestly have no idea how to respond to that. Oh look, you have a visitor," the French remarked without any hint of emotion. "What the fuck? He looks like a fetus." The French was right. A plump, chubby-faced kid filled the other half of the screen. Hungry, beady black eyes grazed over the German's chest.

Gilbert's eyes widened. There was a deep flaw to his plan. His voice was too deep for a girl's. "Shit," the German lowered his voice to a muffled whisper. "Can you speak for me?"

"Just type out the damn conversation!" Cheya angrily retorted. Gilbert glared and the French relented. Leaning over so that she was closer to the microphone, but still obscured from view, Cheya prepared herself for the worst. She was going to seduce a fetus.

"Hey there," she purred. "Would you mind if I made your ginger..." Cheya purposely drew out the last word of her sentence. She spoke at an agonizingly slow pace. "Snap?"

Gilbert almost lost it right then and there. The ginger-haired boy was clearly flustered by this comment. His face flushed to an unruly shade of red. The German teased the fetus boy wonder further by groping his chest in a very 'provocative' manner.

"C-can I see your….?" The boy faltered.

"Say it," the French woman drawled. Gilbert mused to himself. Cheya was savoring every minute of this.

Fetus boy swallowed down a large gulp when Cheya let out a raspy, but ever seductive chuckle. "Your tits," he demanded in a shaky voice. "Show them to me you dirty whore."

Gilbert flashed the French with a look of warning. His crimson eyes pleaded for her to be patient.

"What a nasty little boy you are!" Cheya tutted. Gilbert could tell that she was disgusted by the boy's crude behavior. "Do me a favor, will you? She asked. Fetus boy looked like he was ready to burst. His breathing became ragged and his eyes darted back and forth. He was in a state of utter disbelief. As if _he_ was about to see the bosom of a _grown_ woman.

Too bad _that woman_ was a 19 year old cocky albino.

"W-what do you want me to do?"

"Close your eyes. You'll find out soon enough," the French teased. Gilbert gave Cheya a disbelieving look. Did she have no shame? He had just used that trick on her moments ago. The French gave the German an all-knowing grin. "Ready?" she asked.

Gilbert nodded. He repositioned the camera so that his entire face was showing. The German smirked. The little shit was in for the surprise of his life time.

"You can open your eyes my sweet," Cheya gagged out. While the French sought to recover her dignity, Gilbert shrugged out of the bra. The German stretched his arms and let out a relieved sigh.

"O-ok," Fetus boy squeaked. " I mean YEAH babe!" Fetus boy's eyes eagerly fluttered open. His perverted little heart was practically quivering with angst. Nevertheless, a wolfish grin tugged onto the corner of his lips. However, instead of facing a fair-skinned Goddess, fetus boy was confronted with the amused glare of a red-eyed demon.

As if this wasn't enough already, Gilbert began to fondle with his non-existent breasts. "What," he cackled. "You don't like what you see?" The German licked his lips. He traced a finger along his chest.

Gilbert's eyes gleamed with triumph when the boy's mouth parted open with shock. "B-but, but...you sounded like a girl!" he spluttered.

The German merely shrugged in response. "Face it. You just got seduced by a dude."

Fetus boy's face contorted into a horrified expression. He pointed an accusatory finger at the camera. "Y-You tricked me!"

"Kesesese. Believe me. The fun's just getting started!" the German teased. Gilbert then proceeded to place a hand on the zipper of his jeans. Cheya shuffled closer. She could now be seen by the nearly fainting boy.

When the boy noticed her, his face shifted to a beautiful shade of 'hot and bothered' red. "Listen kid," the French started. "Why don't you leave your computer and get some fresh air?" she suggested.

"Tch! You're ruining all the fun~!" the German complained.

"You traumatized him enough." Cheya laughed. Gilbert beamed. The German then raised his hand for a high five. Slap went their hands.

"All in a days work!" he exclaimed.

* * *

 **Cheya's POV:**

A couple hours had passed. We spent the time watching youtube videos, stuffing our faces with candy, and just plain out procrastinating at doing anything productive. I got up from the bed and stretched. Gilbert groaned in protest. "Going so soon?" he moped. I grimaced. I was supposed to meet up with Arthur later tonight, which meant that I had to leave Gilbert much earlier than planned. I wanted to stay longer. I really did. But Arthur had made plans with me first. It was only fair.

"Yeah. I have somewhere to go."

"Got another date in the library?" he mocked. I averted my gaze to the ground. The German wasn't too far off. "No...just getting some fresh air." I felt absolutely disgusted with myself. I hated lying to him. Gilbert raised a pale brow, but he decided not to question me further. I walked over to the foot of his bed, grabbed my bag, and slung it over my shoulder. I turned back to smile at Gilbert. A guilty expression crossed over my face when I recognized the sad look in his eyes.

I waved my goodbyes. "See you later." I shrugged off Gilbert's distasteful pout and walked towards the door. I placed my hand around the door knob. I didn't realize that Gilbert had followed after me. I froze when I felt his arms wrap around my waist. The warmth of Gilbert's bare chest pressed up against my back. This only added to my already flustered state as I attempted, in vain, to ground my nerves.

I was trapped. I felt sick. And more than anything I was revolted with myself. If it wasn't clear now, Gilbert's interest in me was practically hurling itself right in my face. I had no idea what to do. I treasured our friendship more than anything else in the world. He was like a brother to me. And it was for this reason alone that I had to distance myself from him. I had to step away. I would spare Gilbert from experiencing further pain. It wasn't fair, and it was going to kill me while doing so , but it needed to be done.

I placed a gentle hand on his wrist. "Gilbert, I have to go now." I asserted firmly despite the fact that my heart had just about shattered in two.

Gilbert tensed for a brief moment. Eventually, he let go. The German let out an indignant scoff. But he wasn't fooling me anytime soon. He was hurt. His pride merely prevented him from showing it. "Where are you going?" he asked.

It took me a long time to answer him. "Uh...just somewhere off campus. Midterms are coming up, and I could use a breather." Gilbert stared at me in silence. I could tell that he was skeptical of my bluff. He knew me very well. The German was plowing right through my stoic facade. I started to slip under his stern gaze and he tactfully caught onto it.

"Cheya, are you sure that you're alright?" he asked.

"I'm fine!" I chided. My strained expression proved otherwise.

Gilbert's face fell entirely. "Ok. If you say so," he mumbled. A look of disappointment crossed over his face. I turned to walk out the door. Gilbert's lips parted open. It looked as if he wanted to say something more, but rather than speaking, a hoarse grunt was released from his taut lips. "See you later then."

The German frowned. The smile that he so often wore on his smug face was no longer there. Gilbert slammed the door shut.

I rubbed at my eyes. The image of Gilbert's downtrodden face haunted my mind. The true selfishness of my actions had finally come to light. I wasn't just lying to him. So easily had I shrugged off his feelings. I had been too caught up with Arthur to realize this. I had overlooked Gilbert's feelings as if they had never even mattered. It wasn't fair and things needed to change. The only problem, however challenging and ardous that it may be, was choosing the way in which I would address this situation. And Lord knows how difficult that'll be.

 _I'm sorry Gilbert. You deserve so much better than this._

* * *

 **Gilbert's POV:**

Gilbert slammed the door shut. His hand gripped onto the door knob so tightly that the whites of his knuckles showed. Angry tears threatened to pour down his face. He pounded his fist against the door. He cursed and let go of every single one of his inhibitions. The rawness of pure and unequivocal fury both distorted and masked the rejection that lurked deep within his heart. The girl that he loved was slipping from his grasp. The distance between them was growing and there was absolutely nothing that he could about it.

* * *

Hey Guys! Sorry about the wait! So yeah this Chapter was too long, so I split up the Gerita arc for the next chapter. So, I'll probably be adding more writing to their part! Jesus, I need to stop it with the exclamation marks. I'm currently running on two hours of sleep! Damn you University!


	15. Iche Liebe Duck!

**Ich Liebe Duck!:**

 **Feli's POV:** (Saturday Afternoon)

The crisp smell of autumn was in the air and Feli Vargas couldn't have been happier. Her sorella was happy, school was going great, and she had even made some new friends along the way! Life was precious and Feli was always appreciative of her circumstances. She strived to spread happiness, love, and warmth to others. Perhaps her cheery personality caused people to overlook her keen intellect, but she didn't mind this in the slightest. Her sorella was the smarter one anyhow.

As of now, the Italian was on her way to the market. This was the only place where she could find real, authentic Italian ingredients after all. Dancing on the balls of her feet, Feli merrily pranced across the cobble stoned pathways of the campus's gardens. In one hand, the Italian clutched onto a tote striped bag, and in the other she held onto a vanilla bean latte. She wore a pair of black skinny jeans and a loose grey knitted sweater that suited the colder weather perfectly.

Feli hummed under her breath. A wry smile crept onto her face when the image of her sorella popped into her mind. Vina, for whatever reason, had been quite embarrassed yesterday. She had walked back into their apartment blushing profusely. Call it a siblings intuition, but Feli suspected that it had to do something with Antonio. The Spaniard was the only person in the world who could make Vina react in such a way. But Feli knew that this was good for her sorella. She hoped that Antonio's kindness would rub off on Vina. Vina was very poor at expressing herself, and it wasn't uncommon for her to lash out at others. Especially with those who she wasn't comfortable being around with. But perhaps the Spaniard could help her sorella overcome her brashness. Feli really hoped so.

Although Vina would never dare to admit it out loud, Feli knew very well how much her sorella cared for her. And this was why Feli would always forgive her sorella so easily. Vina's mistrust of others had stemmed from her rocky relationship with their parents, and them moving away to Italy had only made things. But for Feli, this was an opportunity. It was an opportunity to start fresh. It was a chance to step into a new world of discovery. Life was meant to be enjoyed. And besides, it's not like they haven't lived with their nonno before. Every summer their parents voyaged off to Italy. Which meant that every summer for Feli was spent cooking, watching movies, and baking with her nonno and sorella. Their parents hardly ever bothered to call or check up on them when they were off travelling. They carelessly left for months on end. And it was for this reason that Feli actually understood and perhaps even harbored some of the resentment that her sorella felt towards their parents. But holding a grudge over the matter was futile. Feli viewed it as a waste of time. And so, she decided to use these circumstances to tighten the bond between her and her sorella.

Feli shook her head clear of these depressing thoughts. To distract herself, the Italian took to admiring the surrounding tulip gardens. Feli was so immersed in admiring the rich hues and mixtures of reds, oranges, yellows, and pinks, that she didn't heed any attention to the loud commotion that was going on behind her. On her way to these gardens, she had passed by many tour groups of eager, ogle-eyed highscoolers. She supposed that she could understand their excitement. Hetalia University had several prestigious academic and sports programs to offer.

The chatter became louder. What was before chatter quickly became chanting. Unnerved, Feli turned around to face the source of the noise. The Italian's eyes widened with fright. A foot ball, which was spiralling towards her at a dangerously fast speed, was careening straight for her head. Feli didn't have time to scream. Someone had already done the job for her.

"LOOK OUT!" A deep voice bellowed into the Italian's ear. With a grunt, the mysterious stranger dove to push Feli out of the way.

Dazed, Feli found herself knee deep in the soil of a now ruined flower bed. Her head was cushioned against the strong arms of the stranger who had saved her. He had his arms wrapped around her shoulders in a protective stance. Upon realizing the awkwardness of their position, the boy let out another grunt. The boy unwrapped himself from their embrace.

"Danke! Er...sorry about that," he apologized. The boy sat up and smoothed a hand over his slicked back blond hair. He then extended a hand to the awe-struck Italian. Feli numbly brushed off the dirt from her pants and hands. The Italian accepted the German's hand. Her eyes widened when she took in his appearance. He had the most piercing blue eyes that she had ever seen. And quite frankly, they were amazing to look at. Fumbling for words, Feli stood up and parted hands with the handsome stranger. The Italian frowned when she saw the white splotches of what had been her latte on the ground.

"I can pay for that," the boy asserted in a firm and collected tone.

Feli, for once in her life, was at a loss for words. When she managed to find her voice, however, it was quickly drowned out by the hollers and shouts of the boys standing behind them. "Hey Ludwig!" One of them called out. "Fork the ball over!"

Ludwig cursed under his breath. "Damn dummkopfs," the German muttered to himself. Ludwig bent over and plucked the football from the ground. He arched his back into a poised position. The lean muscles under his shirt rippled. With a tallied flick of the wrist, Ludwig sent the football soaring into the air. Feli admired his physique. He was muscular. He had the slender figure of a well built archer.

"I'll catch up with you guys later," the German shouted. His friends were quick to leave. They were eager to go and terrorize the other half of the campus.

Feli continued to stare at the boy. She was perplexed and her attraction to him grew inevitably. He was wearing a fitted black t-shirt and camouflage army pants. The Italian's eyes never wavered from the taut, stoic expression that he wore on his face. She appreciated his tall stature. She looked at him with hungry eyes. She ran a tongue over her glossed lips. It was time to regain her composure. He seemed like fun. "Are you new here?" Feli asked.

Ludwig gave her a curt nod in response. "Ja, I came here to check out the football team and visit my bruder." The German reached into his over sized pockets to pull out a sleek, back wallet. "Sorry to cause you so much trouble. Although, I'm glad that you didn't get hurt." His eyes shined with sincerity. Feli smiled at this. Such genuineness was rare to come across. Ludwig pulled out a five dollar bill from his wallet. He held it out for Feli to take.

The Italian waved off the German's offer. "Ve, that's not necessary," she chided. Feli's long lashes fell against her cheekbones. She shamelessly batted her eyes at him. "But, if you need help getting around I'd be happy to give you directions~!"

Ludwig shyly averted his gaze to the ground. His pale cheeks now had a rosy tint to them. "Um, well...if you could point me in the direction of the Sparta dorm that would be very much appreciated." Feli beamed and nodded her head. The Italian then gave him directions, but it was clear that he had no idea what she talking about. The German was too prideful to ask for help. In the end, Feli just offered to take him there herself. Ludwig woefully agreed to this.

The German extended a hand to the Italian. "The name's Ludwig, nice to meet you." Feli shook hands with him. The boy was much too formal. She watched how serious and collected her was. Every action that he made was calculated. He was just so straight and organized! These were two things that the spontaneous, erratic Italian had never experienced before. It was refreshing, and to be quite honest, the German had peaked her interest. She found herself enraptured by his strict, cool-headed aura.

"Feliciana Vargas; or Feli for short~! It's very nice to meet you as well..." The Italian paused. Her eyebrows furrowed into a frown. She was immersed in deep thought. Through a critical eye, Feli examined the now skeptical German. After a brief moment of deliberation, Feli's cheeks stretched into a wide grin. She was ostensibly satisfied with the results of her search.

"AH-HAH~!" she cried out. The Italian pointed her index finger at the dumbfounded German. "I'll call you Luddy~!"

* * *

 **Ludwig's POV:**

For a girl who he had initially thought to be quiet and reserved, Feli sure did like to talk. It was only until he started speaking to the eager Italian that the German truly clued in to this revelation. Feli, at the moment, was dragging him all over campus. Her long copper curls whipped behind her. The Italian held onto his hand and babbled away about random topics. Despite his embarrassment, Ludwig didn't have the heart to draw away his hand. And it wasn't like he didn't enjoy the contact either. Because, oddly enough, he did. There was just something about Feli that he liked. Being it her smile, her sweet doe-like eyes, or perhaps, not speaking in the most modest of terms, her slender figure. He felt compelled to hold onto the Italian. He listened and she talked. It was relaxing. But this didn't mean that he didn't suffer either. Every time that Feli got exited about something, which happened way too frequently for him to keep track of, her grip on his wrist would tighten. The Italian's nails dug into the German's wrist. She skipped forward, completely oblivious to the German's pain and blatant discomfort.

It didn't help that everyone snickered at the sight of the Italian and German duo. It was amusing to see how a burly, nearly six foot tall German allowed himself to be dragged along by such a tiny woman. Whenever he attempted to comment on this, however, Ludwig found himself at a loss for words. So instead of ruminating about the chagrin of his current situation, the German decided to embrace his fate. He would woefully accept his role as the listener and followee.

Feli had now taken him into the residence portion of the campus. For whatever reason, she got really excited about a bench. "Luddy! Luddy! Luddy!" The Italian cried out. Feli pointed towards the grey dorm building to their right. "This is the Gaul building that I was talking about! I live there, and you know how I told you about my sister Vina? She lives here too! Well, I guess that you'd already know that since I told you that I was living with her eheheh. Oh! How silly of me! I almost forgot to tell you what happened at that bench. You see, I dressed up Chella in a bunny suit...she was dared to but that's not really important...Anyways! Vina got mad at Antonio for ditching us and then she kind of almost made him die. 'Kind of.' Vina got really mad and then she smashed a potted plant with her foot and then the Dean got really mad at her and made her pay for it. But then Vina called him a pansy ass bitch mother fucker and THEN-"

Ludwig held up a hand to silence the Italian. She was speaking way to fast for him to understand. He was also beginning to get a headache. And don't even get him started on that horrendous nickname. He would have to tend to that matter later. "Slow down, Feli. I'm not going anywhere," the German sighed. Ludwig pinched the bridge of his nose. Yup. He definitely had a headache. Ludwig had trouble piecing together the Italian's ramblings. Just what kind of University was this? And who in their right mind would mouth off to the Dean of all people?! Perhaps the weirdest part of it all was the fact that Feli had told this all to him so nonchalantly.

After attempting and failing miserably to make sense of the Italian's confusing story, Ludwig relented. He decided to pull out a familiar name that he recognized. "Do you know Antonio Carriedo?" he asked.

Feli's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. Her smile was so big and warm that Ludwig couldn't help but return the favour with a faint curl of the lips. It wasn't an outright smile, but it was close. "Si! He's the boy that has a crush on my sorella, although I'm pretty sure that the feeling's mutual," the Italian happily confirmed. After a minute of reminiscing about the bench with a dream like gaze on her face, Feli blinked. Shaking herself out of her thoughts, Feli grabbed onto Ludwig's hand and towed him forward. She marched to the beat of her own high-spirited drum.

"Come on Luddy! There's still so much more that I can show you!" the Italian gushed.

"So..." the German cleared his throat. He was nervous. It wasn't like him to strike up a conversation with a stranger. "You said that your last name was Vargas?"

" _Si,_ why?"

"Um, it's just that the principal of my school has the same last name. His name is Romulus Vargas." Ludwig cringed. The Italian's purse never failed to jab him in the stomach. She walked at a fast pace, especially whenever she got excited. Unfortunately, that meant that her purse swung behind her with the weight and power of what felt like an entire brick army.

The Italian turned around to grin at the winded German. "You know my nonno?" she inquired. Ludwig recognized the Italian word for grandfather. The German nodded. "I'm the student council president. I regularly have meetings with him." Immediately after saying this, Ludwig wanted to slap himself. He hadn't been intending to show off, but judging by the ogling look that Feli was giving him, you would think that she had just experienced a divine revelation. The German's chest swelled up with a new found warmth. The Italian's smile was just that angelic.

"Small word, huh?" Feli beamed. "I'll make sure to visit you this Christmas break. Oh! Before I forget to ask, would you mind telling me your brother's name? Perhaps I already know him." The Italian puckered her lips into a childish looking pout.

"Gilbert Beilschmidt," the German answered. Upon hearing this, Feli's brows creased with worry. "Oh-oh," she mumbled to herself in an unintelligible whisper. Ludwig craned forward to hear what she was saying. He didn't catch much. Apparently Vina wouldn't be able to handle another potato bastard in her life. Ludwig also heard Feli mention something about eloping. Whatever the hell that meant.

* * *

 **Feli's POV:**

The next few minutes passed by quickly for the ditsy Italian. If Ludwig was in fact Gilbert's younger brother, then Vina was sure to take an instant dislike of him. Why might you ask? Vina's hatred of Gilbert had increased ten fold over the last few days. In fact, just this morning, as she ate her morning croissant, Feli noticed that Vina had taken extreme measures to show case this hatred. A spider had crawled onto the kitchen counter, and rather than killing it like any other normal person would have, Vina placed a cup over the spider, named it Gilbert, and declared that she would thereby watch it suffocate to death.

The Italian and German duo were now walking through the hallways of the Sparta dorm. Feli spared worried glances at Ludwig whenever he wasn't looking. She didn't want him to end up like spider Gilbert, whose doomed fate lay in the hands of her cackling sorella. The Italian's vivid imagination got the best of her. She pictured Ludwig locked in a cage. All alone. Vina was there. In fact she was the one who had locked him up in the first place. Feli let out an involuntary gasp. No! She absolutely couldn't let her sorella any where near him.

A pair of blue eyes locked onto the Italian. The German's brows creased with worry when he noticed the horrified expression on the Italian's face. "Is everything alright Feli?"

Feli swallowed. She forced herself to trek on. "S-si. I'm fine, thank you." She wasn't about to let Vina obstruct her love life. Perhaps she was getting a little ahead of herself here, but the Italian had a sixth sense when it came to guys, and if her suspicions were correct, then the German was definitely interested in her. The difference between him and other guys, however, was the subtleness of his attraction to her. It was the small things that she was grateful for. Things such as how he would listen to her jokes. He was always patient and he never interrupted. He was a true gentleman. He opened doors for her. He shrugged off her clumsiness whenever she accidentally crushed his foot, which had happened too many times for them to count.

But the thing that truly made the Italian gravitate towards the German was his astounding kindness and sincerity. Not once had he scorned her for making a stupid, irrelevant comment. Nor did he ever look down upon her. He didn't dismiss her goofiness as something unworthy of his time. Ludwig truly seemed to enjoy her company, and as they became better acquainted with one another, the German opened up. At first he revealed small bits of information about himself, and eventually, as his comfort with her grew, he had worked up to the finer, more concrete details of his life. It was then that Feli learned about his passion for football. Or how he aspired to become a world renowned physicist. He had even taken the liberty of telling her cute little anecdotes about his beloved German Shepherd Hans, who Gilbert liked to refer to as 'Hans Solo' out of spite for Ludwig's dislike of the entire Star Wars franchise. These were merely snippets of Ludwig's life and Feli yearned to learn more.

"Feli?" The Italian looked up when the German tapped her on the shoulder. At this point, they had stopped walking. They were standing in front of the door of what Feli presumed to be Gilbert's dorm room. Ludwig's expression softened when the Italian cracked him a hesitant smile. "Er, thanks for helping me find my way around..." The Italian raised an arched brow at the German. He looked as if he wanted to say more.

And so, Feli decided to take full advantage of his vulnerability. She exploited her charm to the fullest. Sidling over so that her face was just inches apart from that of the German's, the Italian pursed her lips together. She lowered her voice and spoke in a purring, gravelly tone. "Is that all Luddy?" she mused.

Ludiwg's breath hitched. He inhaled sharply. His eyes were as wide as saucers. "Er, nein, at least I don't think so?" the German said much too quickly.

Feli thrived in the chaos that she was creating. "Are you sure?" the Italian whimpered. Feli placed both of her hands onto the German's broad shoulders. "Because I was thinking that we could have a little fun," she teased. Feli raised a hand to ruffle his head. Soft blond tufts of hair fell into his face. The Italian then traced a gentle finger along the angles of his sharp jawline. The Italian delighted herself with his flustered reactions. The German was practically shivering under her gaze.

"W-what are you doing?" the German pleaded. A disappointed look crossed over Feli's face. She let go of Ludwig and took a few steps back. Her face flushed and she cursed under her breath. She was internally berating herself for her impulsive behaviour. This was completely out of character for her. Usually it was the boy who couldn't keep their hands off of her. But something about Ludwig drove her absolutely mad with impatience. The airy facade that she typically composed herself with had now been shattered.

She _needed_ to redeem herself.

"Alright, I guess that I'll see you later then~!" the Italian smiled back at the perplexed German. When Ludwig made no indication of responding, Feli turned on her heels and began to walk away. Her shoulders slumped with defeat. Her chest was heavy with the crushing weight of rejection. This was something that she had never felt before. She was used to everyone liking her. Was she wrong? Did Ludwig not like her? Feli got her answer when she felt a hand wrap around her wrist.

"Nein, Feli! I didn't mean it like that!" Ludwig croaked out. The German guided the Italian back to his side. Ludwig let go of her hand. He smoothed a hand through his hair and cleared his throat. His blue eyes were tense with worry. "I'd just like to get to know you better before we...uh, you know." the German paused. He let the awkward silence speak for itself.

The silence didn't last very long.

"Oh Luddy~!" The Italian squealed with joy. She threw herself into the German's arms.

Ludwig grimaced. Feli had him trapped in yet another death grip. But the German was adamant. He was going to let the bubbly Italian express her affection. Her head just barely came up to his collar bone. Unsure of himself, Ludwig patted her head. He was hesitant, but he was still nonetheless enjoying their close proximity. Well that is until he lacked all oxygen in his lungs.

"Hey Feli?"

"Yes Luddy?"

"I can't breathe."

"Because you like me so much? Aww! You're so romantic!~"

" _Nein_ , you're choking me."

"Oops hehe~"

* * *

 **Ludwig's POV:**

After getting Feli's number and waving her off, Ludwig knocked on the door to Gilbert's dorm room. It was eerily quiet. Back at home, if Gilbert was alone, he would typically blast music out loud. Ludwig found it a bit odd that his bruder would settle for the 'unawesomeness' of silence. When no one came to answer the door, Ludwig twisted the door knob. It was unlocked, and without further hesitation, the younger German let himself into the room. There was always the possibility that Gilbert wasn't there, but the tugging sensation in his gut told Ludwig otherwise.

"Bruder?" Ludwig peered into the dark, closed off space. He blindly stumbled forward.

"Is that you West?" Ludwig shifted his gaze to the beds. Gilbert sat at the foot of his bed. The elder German was curling weights at a dangerous pace. Ludwig scoffed. If the dumkoph wasn't careful, he was sure to pull a muscle.

Ludwig rolled his eyes. The younger German walked over to the window and drew open the curtains. Gilbert flinched at the sunlight. He hissed as if he was Dracula himself. "Gilbert, don't you dare start with me. You know that I-"

"Oh shut, it will you? I'm still going to call you West, regardless if you appreciate it or not."

Unsatisfied with this answer, Ludwig let out an indignant sounding scoff. Back when they were kids, Gilbert liked to refer to himself as 'East' because that was where the sun rose in the morning. This had left Ludwig with the 'measly' label of 'West', aka the 'less awesome place' where the sun set in the evening. Only Gilbert, a self-seeking egotist with a monolithic personality complex, would ever dream to concoct such an analogy.

"So, tell me. How is our precious Solo doing?" Ludwig bit back a snappy retort. Something about his bruder's tone of voice set off multiple alarm bells in his head.

"HANS is fine, thanks for asking. Although, Opa needs to stop feeding him wurst behind my back. He's gained close to ten pounds." Ludwig gave Gilbert a quick and critical one over. He sought to gain insight on his bruder's emotional stature. Something about Gilbert's behaviour didn't sit right with Ludwig.

"Kesesese. He was already chubby to begin with." Gilbert paused. He had finally taken notice to Ludwig's smoldering glare. "Could you stop looking at me like that?!

"How can I not? You look awful. How much sleep have you gotten lately?"

Gilbert placed his weights down. He glared at the ground. "You really know how to kick a guy when he's down, don't you West?" The elder German patronized with a scowl.

Ludwig decided to let that comment slide.

"And how the hell would I know that? You never tell me anything. Not to mention the fact that you ignore all of my texts." Seriously, it wouldn't have killed Gilbert to call once in a while.

Gilbert relented with a loathsome sigh. "Ugh. Fine. You can be so nosy sometimes. But if you must know, things haven't been that great with Cheya lately."

"Oh, I see. Have you told her how you feel yet?"

Gilbert shook his head. "I haven't had the chance. She's always busy with other things...I feel like she's hiding something from me." Gilbert flopped onto his back and looked up at the ceiling. "It's just so damn frustrating. Something's definitely bothering her, but she's not talking to me."

"What about Antonio? Maybe he can ask her."

Gilbert's face puckered into a sour scowl. "Between soccer practice and stalking this psycho Italian chick around campus, the only time that I see that dumkoph is when he comes back here to sleep."

"Give it time then."

"I've already waited long enough!" Gilbert snapped. "I'm done waiting," he reaffirmed in a cracked voice. Ludwig sat next to Gilbert on the bed. He deliberately chose not to say anything. A comfortable silence fell between them. It was the reassurance that came along with a brotherly bond that temporarily soothed Gilbert from his worries. It erased his mind from his persisting anxieties. Gilbert breathed for the first time in what felt like ages.

Ludwig placed a hand over his bruder's back. He eyed Gilbert with a steady and unrelenting gaze. The next words that the younger German spoke were nothing short of being simple, but they served their purpose quite well.

"Go for it."

* * *

 **Lovina's POV:** (Saturday Afternoon)

Lovina lay slumped on her bed. Her eyes rolled inevitably as she listened to the Spanish bastard ramble on about pointless shit on the phone. She was lying down on her stomach. The Italian absently scrolled through her twitter news feed. Whenever Antonio got antsy, Lovina would merely give him a grunt of acknowledgement. If she didn't respond to quick him enough, Lovina knew full well that Antonio would take matters into his own hands. In other words, the Spaniard would come over. And being the touchy feely bastard that he was, Lovina wouldn't get any of her work done. The bastard was quite the distraction, after all.

Whenever Antonio visited, it was always a great difficulty to get him to leave. Not that Lovina minded his prescience entirely, but she could only handle so much excitement for one day. Seriously though. The apartment was already loud it enough as it was with Feli's incessant singing. And Antonio only encouraged the bitch. The Spaniard sung himself, and much to Lovina's embarrassment, he was relentless in his attempts to persuade her into joining them.

This was all so crazy. Lovina had only known the Spaniard for a month and a half. And yet, the boy acted as if she were his soulmate. The pressure to conform to such a high expection was immense. Lovina was constantly restraining herself. She was afraid of saying something that would scare off the bastard. She didn't want to ruin or distort his perception of her. It wasn't uncommon for people to be revolted by her crude behaviour. But Antonio's capacity for acceptance and forgiveness had always boggled her mind. The fact that he always wanted to be around her was both flattering and annoying. It was mostly annoying, but she still nonetheless appreciated the sincerity of the gesture.

" _Bella, are you even listening to me_?" the Spaniard whined.

Chigi. Was he ever a needy bastard.

Lovina snorted into the phone. "Che! You were talking about your upcoming soccer game, si?" Ok. So she may or may not have just pulled that bluff from thin air.

The Italian imagined the pout that would most definitely be on the Spaniard's face right about now. " _I moved on from that, Lovi. I asked you something else_." When Lovina made no indication of responding, Antonio let out a defeated sigh.

" _After midterms are over, would you like to go out on a date with me_ ~?"

A sly smile tugged on the corners of the Italian's lips. "No."

" _Why not_?!" Lovina enjoyed watching, or in this case hearing, the Spaniard's temper spike. He always acted so unnaturally happy all the time. But when he did get mad, Lovina's fascination would peak. She was attracted to the smoldering side of him. It was different and fresh. She was also just a shit disturber, but let's not get into that.

"We see each other every day. What more could you possibly want?" the Italian paused when she heard the chimes of the front door jingle. Her sorella was home. Lovina's stomach growled. Judging by Antonio's stupid _'fusososo'_ laughter, the Spaniard had heard it too.

Lovina groaned. "Feli's here. I promised that I would help with dinner."

" _Alright_ ," the Spaniard reluctantly conceded. " _And what did I tell you about eating properly?! You should never let yourself get that hungry_."

" _Hmmmm. Perhaps I should feed you myself ehe_.~" he teased in an irritatingly jovial voice.

"Do that and I'll stuff my entire fist down your throat."

" _Tsk! Well_ ," the Spaniard paused for good measure. " _I'm always open to try new things if you're up for it,_ " he chuckled. Lovina's face burned with embarrassment. She was both flustered and angry. She had let that damned bastard get to her again!

"Bye Bastardo," she groaned

" _Te Amo Lovi_." And with that, the Spaniard hung up the phone. He didn't leave her any time to inquire about what he had just said. Shrugging it off, as she couldn't be bothered to read into it, Lovina walked out of her room. With a grand yawn, she stretched her arms. She had been in bed like a lazy bum all afternoon.

"Did you get the food, Feli?" Lovina asked.

Lovina peered down and hovered over the upstairs railing. She cocked her head to the side. Her sorella's suspicious behaviour was making her wary.

Feli was humming along to a random cheery tune, which wasn't out of the ordinary, but something about the smile on her face was unnerving. She looked lost; happily so. Feli strolled into the kitchen. She skipped with an extra bounce and perk to her step.

With skeptical, disbelieving eyes, Lovina watched her sorella put some water to boil on the stove.

"Feli?"

"Hmmmmm~?"

Lovina stifled a facepalm. "You forgot the food, didn't you?"

Feli looked up to Lovina and smiled. "Ve, I guess I did."

Perplexed, Lovina's mouth parted open with shock. Her eyebrows furrowed in deliberation. She was attempting to make sense of her sorella's odd behaviour.

 _Dreamy eyes._ _Ditsy smile. Dumbass behaviour._

Did Feli meet a boy? No. Feli simply had _flings_ with boys.

In the end, Lovina's curiosity won over. "Did you meet someone today, Feli?"

"Si," Feli beamed up at Lovina. "I like him a lot."

Lovina didn't feel the need to question her sorella further. She had never liked the idea of Feli dating someone, but she supposed that she could look the other way and let her sorella do as she pleased. Besides, it's not like this relationship of hers was going to last that long anyways.

Never in her life had she been so wrong.


	16. Bound to the Scone

**Bound to the Scone:**

 **Arthur's POV:** (Saturday Night)

Running a hand through the mess of his hair, Arthur paced through out the small confinements of his apartment. The Briton was muttering to himself. He was going over the fine details of his plan. Scones in the oven? Check. Dirty laundry shoved under the bed and hidden from sight? Check. Bowls filled with candy to please his borderline diabetic girlfriend? Check. The only thing that Arthur had to do was wait. And nervously so.

With so much time to spare, the Briton began to ruminate about his previous failures with girls. For Arthur, the problem wasn't getting a girl. It was keeping one. He was the only to blame, after all. His pride often got the better of him, and most of his relationships, if you could even call them that, always fell back on his lack of compassion for others. Well that's what most people liked to say about him anyways. Rarely did someone ever take the time to truly get to know Arthur. And perhaps if they had, they would have realized that his schooling had always been his top priority.

Growing up with three older brothers, Arthur was used to lurking in the shadows. He was often ignored as his brothers were the ones to receive their mother's praise and attention. So Arthur did what any other neglected could would do. He sought to redeem himself. He pushed his way through his studies. He wanted his parents to be proud of him. He wanted to stand out. And in the end, Arthur was fairly successful. His grades were near perfect. The cost of such an endeavor, however, was that he had distanced himself from all others. The Briton had lost the collective sense of spirit and camaraderie. His pursuit for praise had turned into an obsession. His goals and aspirations had consumed him.

Blinded by his gains, Arthur had never heeded any attention to the consequences of his actions. It didn't bother him when people scorned him for his arrogance. To the Briton, those who judged him were nothing more than self-righteous hypocrites. They were simply jealous of his achievements. No one had ever prioritized his well-being, so it only made sense, that in the context of his own life, that Arthur would put himself first. He was stubborn, but he was proud. He let his accomplishments speak for themselves. It was only until recently, however, that Arthur had come to realize the baffling insincerity of his actions.

He had been so caught up in proving his competence that he had lost the true objective of his ambitions. It was then that Arthur took a step back and evaluated his life. And what he had found was quite disheartening. His entire behavior revolved around the approval of others. And for this, the Briton had grown bitter. He resented himself for it. He was disgusted. He was no better than everyone else. The Briton had grovelled to be accepted by those who he had initially deemed to irrelevant in the grand scope of things.

He too was a hypocrite and a woeful one at that. It was this type of resentment that fueled the Briton's distrust of others. And naturally, this had caused even more consequences. Arthur ruined relationships. He was scolded for his haughtiness. He was essentially trapped in the mess that was his own self-destructive behaviour. The Briton was determined to attest for his blatant hypocrisy. He was a miserable person to be around on the inside and out. But someone truly special in his life had convinced him otherwise. Arthur was slowly beginning to let go of his pent up resentment, and in the process, he had learned to trust again.

Cheya was the only one who had fought back against his quips. With equal ferocity as noted. The French had never been one to roll over and dismiss his crude behavior. She returned his insults and had a temper similar to that of his own. It was frustrating to admit, but Arthur had been impressed. Cheya saw right through him. She had exposed him for what he was: a man who was both fearful and ashamed of his own character. Initially, this had made the Briton angry. And this frustration had only grown with time. Stubborn in his will, Arthur had rejected his peaking interest in the French. He had forced himself to cast his doubts aside.

But soon enough, the Briton had found himself in a position of vulnerability. And when the time came for him to act on these inclinations, he failed miserably. It still boggled his mind how Cheya had been so quick to forgive him. But he was still nevertheless grateful for her capacity to understand. By all means, Arthur wasn't perfect, and he appreciated that the French gave him the benefit of the doubt when it came to expressing his feelings. The Briton was gradually opening up. His stubbornness would always be there, but the grudges that he bore were gradually losing their potency. The Briton mused to himself. The French had softened him.

Arthur grabbed his coat from the front closet and slipped into a pair of slacks. The Briton cursed when he jammed his finger against the closet door. "Bloody hell. If you're nervous now, just wait until she gets here." Other than feeling nervous, Arthur was actually quite excited to see his girlfriend over.

Even though his apartment was several blocks away from the University, the Briton had asked the French to wait for him outside. That way, he could ensure that no other students were lurking around before he snuck her in. After all, his apartment building did house several other students. He could never be too careful.

The Briton jumped when he heard a knock on his front door.

With wary eyes, Arthur opened the door and poked his head around the wooden frame. A frown crossed over his face.

"I told you to wait outside!" the Briton snapped, although his heart wasn't really in it.

The French merely stood there with a blank look on her face. "I got bored," she muttered.

Arthur stared at her disbelievingly. He was fuming over the French's reckless behavior. Soft amber eyes bored into the Briton and he relented. "Fine, fine. Just get in." Cheya gave him a wry smile. She walked into the the front room, shrugged off her coat, and slipped out of her boots. The French was wearing a pair of black nylons, a high-waisted burgundy skirt, and a tight, black turtle neck. Despite his irritation, Arthur found himself smiling. His girlfriend was nothing short of stunning.

The Briton took the French's coat and hung it up in the closet. "Who let you into the building?"

Cheya shrugged. "The doorman's a pretty cool dude. You should have seen his face when I told him that I was visiting you," she giggled. "Priceless."

Arthur raised a brow. "If you don't mind me asking, what did he say?" He really shouldn't have asked. He knew very well where this conversation was going.

"He asked if you paid for me."

The Briton soured at the thought. "And what did you say to that?" he groaned. Surely Cheya would have taken this opportunity to poke some fun at him.

"Nothing."

Arthur stared at Cheya with wide eyes. And then he noticed something. She was being unusually quiet. Placing an arm around her shoulders, the Briton guided the French into his living room. He sat them down on the couch. "Is everything alright, love?" Cheya tensed up under his embrace. When she made no indication of answering him, Arthur placed a thumb on her chin. He tilted her head. A pair of worried green eyes confronted a pair of downtrodden amber ones.

The Briton then swept a stray piece of hair out of her eyes. It bothered him that she was deliberately avoiding his gaze. What could have made so upset? Regardless, Arthur was determined to do something about it. "I know that we've only been dating for a few weeks now, but I want you to know that you can come to me about anything."

Sighing, Cheya wrapped her arms around the Briton's neck. She tucked her head under his chin. "Thanks Arthur. I really needed that. It's just...I'm so...I don't even know anymore." The French was at a loss for words.

Cheya balled her hands into fists. She looked up and gave Arthur a pleading look. She sought to communicate her helplessness. The Briton caught on instantly, and rather than prying for more information, he remained silent. Arthur patted her head. He was waiting for the French to regain her composure. The Briton then took to running his hands through her hair. God. Did she ever smell good.

A comfortable silence passed over them. Eventually, Cheya felt brave enough to speak her mind. "I hate how we have to keep our relationship a secret. It's not fair to my friends and I feel terrible every time that I have to lie to them about it."Arthur planted a soothing kiss onto her cheek. He chuckled to himself when the French spluttered out in surprise.

Cheya's face contorted into a frustrated, but ever adorable little pout. "I'm serious Arthur!" she quipped. "They deserve to know."

The Briton merely rolled his eyes. "Doesn't one of your girlfriends already know about us? Becca, was it?"

"Bella," Cheya corrected with a scowl. "And it's not just her. I'm talking about Gilbert and Antonio too."

"Are you sure that you can't wait a couple of more months? I mean really love, the semester isn't that long," the Briton drawled out in a casual tone only to falter when he was met with a truly murderous glare.

Cheya shrugged off his arm and scooted over to the other end of the couch. "I knew that you wouldn't understand," she growled. The French then crossed her arms and proceeded to give him the evil eye.

The Briton scowled. Even when angered, the French was still attractive. Arthur shook his head. "It's too risk. I'm sorry, but you're just going to have to wait." Cheya huffed to herself. Arthur attempted to soothe her, but she merely turned her head to the side. She then turned her gaze to the window. The Briton scoffed. She could be so childish.

Cheya stood up and walked over to the window. Every so often she would turn around to aim a putrid glare at him. Her eyes narrowed into a scowl. Arthur was more than amused. He wouldn't allow his iron clad will to be broken so easily. Arthur looked up at the ceiling and bit down on his tongue. If he spoke now, that would only mean trouble.

The French woman decided to change tactics.

Knowing full well that she was in Arthur's full train of view, Cheya bent over. "Ooops~! Looks like I dropped something." The Briton forced himself to look away. His face burned a bright red. It was proving very difficult for him to tear his gaze away from the purposely doubled over French. Bloody hell. This woman was going to be the death of him.

"Don't think that what you're doing is working," the Briton croaked.

"Why, whatever do you mean Arthur?" The French stood up and flicked her long chestnut brown mane over her shoulders. Padding over to the Briton, Cheya eyed him the entire time. She ran a tongue over her lips and flashed him with a provocative but ever calculated smile.

"Now where is it?" she pondered. Arthur swallowed deeply. He was trapped and was losing ground quickly.

"Hmmmm," the French stroked her chin. "Found it!" she grinned. The Briton choked in horror. Cheya climbed onto his lap, placing both of her hands onto his shoulders. He was pinned against the back of the couch. The French then placed a slender finger on the Briton's trembling lips.

Arthur glared at the ground. "F-found what?!" he snapped.

Cheya's eyes darkened considerably. "All hail the royal asshole," she cooed, completely ignoring his previous question. The French traced a finger along the sharp angles of the Briton's jaw. She tutted at him when he slapped her hand away. "Ah-ah-ah. Let me have my fun," Cheya scolded. She waggled a patronizing finger in front of his fuming face.

Fuck it all.

Arthur scowled. "I'll think about it."

"Sorry, didn't quite catch that."

"I said that I'll think about it! ARGH! Geroff!"

"Make me."

SLAM!

"Wha-ah Arthur!" the Briton now had the French pinned beneath him. His palms rested on both sides of her head. He grinned with a mad look in his eyes.

Cheya glared up at the Briton. "Let go of me!"

Arthur laughed. He had yet to reciprocate that little episode of hers. "Tough shit, love," he murmured. He raised a hand to cup the side of her face. The Briton hummed to himself. He was thriving off of the French's flustered reactions, those of which included her half-hearted attempts to shove him away.

What Cheya did next surprised him.

Grabbing him by the collar of his shirt, the French pulled the Briton in for a kiss. She had caught him off guard. Cheya ran a hand through his hair. She was teasing through Arthur's defenses as she ruthlessly exploited his ultimate weakness; her feminine charm.

Laughing and reveling in the Briton's initial shock, Cheya pulled away from the kiss. An impish grin was plastered on her face. "No more kisses for you," she tutted. "That's what you get for being a stubborn ass."

"Oi!" Arthur protested. "What am I? Some man toy for you to exploit?"

"Precisely," the French beamed.

Arthur scoffed. He crawled off the couch and strode in the kitchen. Dealing with this woman took a lot of patience. But it also made one very hungry as it required a lot of energy. Popping a miniature blueberry scone of his own into his mouth, the Briton grabbed a spare plate and stacked a variety of different flavoured scones onto it. "Would you like a scone, love?"

"Is it sweet?"

Arthur rolled his eyes. "Would I feed you anything else?"

"Don't say that. It's creepy...It makes me feel like a giant baby."

"Well you're not wrong," Arthur chuckled. "Just try it." Reluctantly, Cheya took a scone into her hands. She held it up to the air and sniffed it before she finally deemed it worthy of her taste buds. The French took a small nibble out of the scone. She smiled at the Briton. Her eyes were watering out of pure and utter amazement.

"I-it's wonderful!"

Arthur's chest swelled with pride. He had always known that his cooking was spot on.

Cheya's joy merely confirmed it.

* * *

 **Cheya's POV:**

 **"** Hey, Arthur?" I said in between mouthfuls. "Where's the bathroom?"

 **"** Around the corner and to your left." Arthur pointed the way forward but I was already gone. I tried. I really did. But that scone...that thing. It was just God awful. It took everything in my willpower not to spit out the now soggy lump of scone mush in my mouth. I mean, it didn't look that bad upon first glace. It looked just like any other baked treat would. Mon Dieu, was I ever wrong.

I tried to keep my gags and whimpers to a minimum. Arthur was delighted when I complimented, correction, lied to him about his cooking skills. The night was off to a good start and I didn't want to ruin the mood. But did he ever suck at cooking! The scone was bitter, putrid, and down right toxic. I wouldn't be surprised if I died of food poisoning within the next few hours.

I thrust open the bathroom door and spit out the soggy remains of the scone into the toilet. Crap. I still had that godforsaken taste in my mouth. But what could I use to get rid of it? I looked around the bathroom. My search wasn't very successful. A few bottles of shampoo and a tube of toothpaste surely wouldn't help me.

Merde! I bent over the sink and turned on the tap. The water didn't help me in the slightest. I then opted for my second, less appealing alternative: I squeezed a swab of toothpaste into my mouth. I was just that desperate.

"Is everything alright, love?"

"Y-yeah! I'm fine thanks! Just fixing my hair." I walked out of the bathroom and bumped right into a very disgruntled Arthur.

"What? Couldn't wait to see me?" I teased.

Arthur winked. "Maybe." I blushed and turned away. Being alone in the apartment with him made me very nervous. And the fact that his apartment was small didn't exactly help with my case either. The main, larger space of the apartment was the living room, and even that was spatially confining. Other than a few stools that sat in front of the kitchen island, which was just to the left of the living room, the only real pieces of furniture that Arthur possessed was a matching black leather couch and arm chair.

It was just me and him. You'd think that I'd be happy, which I inevitably was, but I was also quite uncertain and apprehensive. The separation of his apartment from the University gave us more freedom to do as we pleased. I couldn't help but wonder what he would try to pull off tonight. The Briton was full of surprises, and knowing his cheekiness, it was almost guaranteed that he would string me along in yet another one of his devious ploys. The last one involved him trying to persuade me into wearing Feli's makeshift bunny suit again. Which, of course, I sanctimoniously refused to do. A 'perverted bastard' as Lovina would faithfully say.

"Why don't you show me that movie of yours?" The Briton grinned devilishly upon hearing my suggestion. He grabbed my hand and led me into the kitchen. A row of glass bowls filled with various candies and chocolates lined the counter. I opted for the bowl of Malteser's while Arthur stuck with the traditional popcorn option. How boring. "There's more scones if you want," he offered.

I rushed to sit both of us down on the couch. I nearly caused him to drop his bowl. "Oh no!" I chided. "I prefer to save the best for last!" Last meaning never again my life. Arthur raised a heavy brow at me. Thankfully, he decided not to pry. The Briton grabbed a nearby couch pillow and placed it onto his lap. I helped him balance his computer on top of it.

Everything was now done and settled. "There we are," Arthur sighed. The lap top was still in a rather awkward position. It was perched high onto his lap. "Hopefully you won't have to crane your neck too much. I can't be helped that you're hobbit sized."

"You're no giant either," I retorted with a scoff. My words hit deep. Arthur wasn't exactly short, but he certainly wasn't tall. My comment was met with a frigid glare. I decided to ignore it. I was more focused on trying to figure out what movie we were going to watch. Supposedly it was one of his favourites, or 'masterpiece' as he so fondly liked to call it.

But I owed this entire night to that movie. I was sick of hearing him and Maddie bicker back at our apartment, and so, I had woefully decided to strike a deal with the British devil. Originally, I had just intended to let him pick the movie. But of course, such wasn't the case. Being the stubborn-uptight-British-butthole that he was, Arthur had wanted so much more than that. He wanted control. And so, I was left with no other choice but to agree to his proposed offer. If he was to let me into his apartment, I would have to agree to certain conditions of his choosing. That being, that I had to say yes, within reason of course, to any one of his requests spanning over the next two weeks.

The first request was a bit odd. He merely wanted me to stop referring to him as 'Browzilla'. Expecting something much worse, I complied, albeit reluctantly. I was quite fond of that nickname, you see. Anyways, it's been a while since I've last received a request from him. The possibility of him hanging this clause over my head tonight was inevitable. Sensing my uneasiness, Arthur wrapped a steady arm around my shoulders. I grumbled something incoherent and snuggled in closer.

"Playing nice I see," he tutted.

I looked up to glare at the chuckling Briton. "Shut your whore mouth Kirkland," I huffed. Indefinitely pleased with himself, Arthur pecked my forehead with a smug kiss. "Order #2; No talking or insulting me during the movie."

I rolled my eyes. For someone who prided himself on his wits, Arthur's blackmail skills truly lacked. Bella wouldn't have approved. I let out a relenting, loathsome sigh. "Fine. You can consider my lips sealed." I faltered when Arthur gave me a weird look.

"What?!" I snapped.

"Why does your breath smell like mint?"

"What?! No it doesn't!" I grabbed a massive handful of Malteser's and stuffed them into my mouth. "Just start the movie, will ya?" I huffed in between mouthfuls.

...

Halfway into the movie, I zoned out. It had something to do with wizards and dragons and all that other magical galore. I wasn't that into it, but Arthur sure was. In fact, he was so immersed in the movie that he had unconsciously started to act out the fight scenes with his hands. The Briton also knew the dialogue to a tee. I'm not kidding. He was actually mouthing the lines to himself. He was such a dork.

But he was _my dork~_

I felt my phone buzz in my pocket and I looked to Arthur. He wasn't paying me any attention. I pulled myself out of his grasp and shuffled sideways. It was always nice to cuddle with him, but the amount of times that he had swung his arms and screamed at the screen ruined any form of sentiment.

I opened my snapchat. Bella had snapped me of her in a fluffy pink towel turban: _How's your date with Arthur going ;)?_

I turned down the brightness of my phone and snapped a photo of the ground: _Pretty good. Although, he's more into the movie than anything else..._

 _You better make him pay for that later!_

I giggled at that: _Oh I will. Don't you worry about that ;)_

For the next half hour or so, Bella and I snapped back and forth. It came to the point where I could barely even contain my laughter. Luckily for me, Arthur thought that my laughter had been directed at the movie. I received his nod of approval.

Bella: _I want to see him._

Me: …. _What?_

Bella: _You heard me! Take a photo of him._

I rolled my eyes and sighed. There was no point in arguing with her. When Arthur wasn't looking, I angled my phone and snapped a quick photo of him. The Briton's eyes flickered in my direction, but I had already hidden my phone underneath my shirt. I inspected the photo. It wasn't that bad, actually. It accentuated his side profile, and if I do say so myself, he was quite the stud. His blond hair had that natural messiness to it, and I found it cute how his nose and eyebrows had scrunched up with concentration.

My phone nearly short circuited from the amount of snaps that I received.

Bella: _Oh my fuck! He's so hot._

Bella: _Those eyes._

Bella: _That hair._

Bella: _Marry him now before it's too late._

Bella: _I want godbabies._

Me: _Would you relax already?_

Bella: _You seriously can't expect me to relax after seeing that!_

Me: _Fine. Oh... It looks like the movie's ending._

Bella: _Keep me posted ;)_

Me: _I'll keep you posted alright._

 _Me: In a mental asylum._

I didn't give Bella a chance to retort. I shut off my phone and settled back into Arthur's arms. The credits were rolling and the dork had a fist placed against his mouth. The man really got into his movies.

"Well, that was interesting!" I exclaimed in a voice that reeked with false positivity.

A pair of eager green eyes widened with awe. "See, I told you that you would love it," Arthur beamed. My grin faltered. I felt guilty about tricking him, but then again seeing him this happy did make me feel squeamish inside. It was a nice change from his usual scowl.

I pulled out my phone and turned on the front camera. "Let's take a picture together," I gushed. I pressed my left cheek up against Arthur's right.

But rather than smiling as I had so naively thought that he would, the Briton frowned. "Absolutely not!" he scoffed. The Briton snatched the phone from my hands.

"Aww! Why not?" I whined. "We'd look so cute."

"What if one your friends sees the photo?"

Oops. Guess I never thought of that.

"Well," I asserted, still intent on not letting the topic drop. "I can always delete it afterwards."

"NO."

"Please Arthur?" The Briton was in no means about to yield to my whims. Scratch that. He was blushing and refused to look me in the eye.

I cocked my head to the side. "Don't tell me that you haven't taken a selfie before," I mused. I raised a finger to fondly flick him in the forehead.

"Of course not!" he protested with an indignant huff. "They're just stupid, that's all." I didn't take heart to his bitterness.

I reached over, unclenched his clenched fist, and took back my phone with ease. "You're taking a photo with me whether you like it or not!" Arthur shifted uncomfortably under my pressuring gaze. I shed him with a triumphant smile and raised the phone in front of our faces. He didn't protest this time. "Smile!"

I quickly snapped the photo while I still had the chance. "Ugh. You call that a smile?" I complained. "We're doing this again."

"Bloody hell! Wasn't that good enough?!"

I shook my head. "You need to loosen up." I placed my index fingers at the corners of his lips and forced a smile onto his scowling face. "Much better," I cooed.

"My God woman. Hurry up and take the damned photo already," the Briton mumbled, his face still squashed under the grip of my fingers.

"Fine. But you better get this one right," I warned. My lips curled into a grin as a truly devious thought crossed my mind. "If you're good, I'll wear that bunny suit for you again," I cooed.

The Briton's smile was instantaneous and I seized the opportunity. "Perfect!"

I smiled to myself. Perhaps I hadn't realized it in full, but I was clearly falling for the twat.

* * *

 **Maddie's POV:** (Sunday Night)

Brushing through her hair and wincing whenever she came across a tangle, Maddie rushed to get ready. Gilbert had called her at the last minute and demanded that she get her ' _less awesome butt prepared for a lesson of even awesomer proportions_.' The Canadian had opted to straighten her hair. This was something that she typically did whenever she wanted to impress someone. So why now? Normally, Maddie didn't put that much effort into her appearance, yet here she was now, putting on make up and even going so far as to borrow Cheya's clothing. It was odd. Even since she had had that dream about Gilbert, feelings of unease had begun to nag at the back of her mind.

Did she like Gilbert?

The fact that she wasn't automatically repulsed at the thought made the Canadian have her doubts. She supposed that if she overlooked his crude brashness and obnoxious superiority complex, Gilbert really wouldn't be all that bad. And when he wasn't cracking jokes at her expense, Maddie had come to appreciate Gilbert's odd sense of humour. The German liked to push, but he also knew when to pull back. Maddie had seen this on the rare occasion whenever he would apologize to her for taking things too far. He would always look so sincere. The cocky gleam in his eyes would be replaced by a soft look of compassion, and if Maddie didn't know any better, understanding.

Maddie twirled in front of the bathroom mirror. She was quite satisfied with her appearance. She had taken off her glasses, and after many painstaking attempts of nearly blinding herself, the Canadian had eventually managed to place a pair of contacts onto her watering irises. The Canadian gaped at her reflection. Were her eyes always that big? Perhaps it was just the accentuation of the mascara. She was still nevertheless perplexed. She took in her reflection with wide, violet eyes. A wry smile played onto her lips, shy, but still content nonetheless.

The Canadian's hair tumbled half way down her waist and instead of letting it fall into her face, she had pulled it back with a red and white hair band. Maddie scowled when she couldn't get that one irritating stray curl to stay down. Last to tend to was her outfit. Rather than going for a casual look, Maddie had opted for something much more flashier and feminine. She still wore a familiar red flannel, but underneath she wore a low cut black tank top. As for her shoes, Maddie had borrowed a pair of black combat boots. She had also borrowed a high-waisted pair of black skinny jeans. The Canadian felt different. But the confidence that her new look gave her made the effort all the worth while.

"Hallo? Is anyone there?" The Canadian heard a familiar voice bellow and echo across the walls of her apartment. Rolling her eyes, Maddie walked out of the bathroom and into the upstairs hallway. Two pale hands gripped onto the stairs' overlooking railing. The metal creaked and protested under the pressure. Maddie glared down at the German, who was casually making himself at home in the living room.

"There's a thing called knocking," Maddie growled. "You should try it."

Gilbert, completely nonchalant in his escapades, merely shrugged in response. "Ja, but where's the fun in that?" he drawled. Gilbert plucked a toffee from a nearby candy bowl and popped it into his mouth.

The German's eyes widened in surprise when he took in the changes to the Canadian's appearance. "Come down here, will you?" he croaked.

Face hot, Maddie reluctantly made her way downstairs. Her eyes never left the ground as she urged herself forward. Yup. There went her confidence. The Canadian noticed that there was something odd about the German's behaviour as well. He didn't hold himself with the same amount of cockiness that he usually did. He looked worn down. His eyes and pale face were hollow and void of character. He was completely stripped from his routine arrogance.

When Maddie stumbled to a stop in front of Gilbert, he swallowed. The German's adam's apple nervously bobbed up and down. It easily matched just how fast the Canadian's heart was beating at this given moment. It was if she was looking at Gilbert in a new light. And what she found irked her to no end. He was attractive. Amazingly so. She found it difficult to comprehend how she had overlooked this before. Her eyes shyly traced over his pale skin. They skimmed over his dischevelled, white hair and they grazed over his tall, lean build. He was wearing a simple pair of jeans and a maroon hoodie. Maddie silently approved. The casual look suited him. It matched his drawling behaviour quite well.

Maddie was becoming increasingly fazed. She was wounded. The German's unwavering red eyes were ruthless as they penetrated right through her defenses. "What?" she asked him softly. He wouldn't stop staring at her. It was quite unnerving to say the least.

Silently, the German walked closer to the Canadian, his lips taut as sought to examine her further. "Nothing," he simpered. Gilbert raised a hand. He paused with a brief moment of hesitant deliberation. Eventually, he reached out to grab a lock of long, blonde hair. He let the soft golden strands slip through his fingers. "You look different. Which is good... I guess." the German looked uncertain over the matter.

The Canadian decided to make light of the situation. She scoffed indignantly."Thanks for the holy judgement, but I think that I'll pass," she giggled. Maddie swatted his hand away. Her eyes beamed with a new found warmth. She had successfully unnerved the German, and upon hearing her insult, Gilbert quickly fell back into the usual swing of things.

A foolish grin played onto Gilbert's face. He leaned closer to Maddie. His red eyes sparkled with amusement. The Canadian faltered under his gaze. "Not a problem at all, _fraulein_ ," he remarked smugly. "Although, I've always thought that the glasses look suited you. You'd make quite the cute librarian," he chuckled.

Surprised at such a comment, Maddie retreated into the kitchen. She had no words to say to him. She didn't even bother to look back and see if the German had followed after her. Maddie opened the fridge and rummaged through it. She pulled out a granny smith apple from the fruit crisper and took a ravenous bite from it. Her mind whirred with confusion. 'Cute librarian'? Should she have taken that as a compliment? And what the heck did it mean? With one palm, Maddie gripped onto the kitchen counter for support. She inhaled deeply through her nostrils. What she needed to do was calm down.

"What's that you got there?" the German cackled. Gilbert seized the apple from Maddie's limp and unresponsive hand. He examined the fruit and held it to the air. He turned it once over before he decided to take a massive bit out of it. "Fuck, that's sour," he pouted.

"That's what you get for stealing other people's food, y-you douche!" Maddie fumed. Blushing, the Canadian glowered up at the seemingly satiated German. Gilbert held out the apple in his palm and Maddie was quick to snatch it from him. Her eyes narrowed as she contemplated what to do with the half-eaten fruit.

Gilbert rolled his eyes. "My spit won't kill you, you know." That comment had earned the German a firm kick to the shin.

"Mein Gott, Maddie!" The German wailed. He crouched over to clutch at his assaulted and now inflamed shin. "Chill out, will you?" Hands still poised for battle, Maddie raised a trembling fist into the air. Violet eyes bored into crimson.

The German rose to the challenge resting before him. "Try me," he teased.

Maddie considered hurling the apple right into his 'holier than thou' face. In the end, she had settled for a much more pleasurable option: egging him on. Maddie placed the apple onto the counter. She stood tall. Her back was straight and she held her chin up high. She was prepared to confront the German head on.

"Oh please. As if I'll give you the satisfaction," she huffed.

Gilbert's body crouched into a defensive stance. "Come on 'pancake'" he mocked. "Let's go! You and me, right now! Or are you too afraid that you're going to flatten out! Kesesese." Maddie's ears rang. Thriving in her apparent agitation, the German jumped up and down on the balls of his feet. He swayed side to side and hollered like a fool. He was trying to rouse a reaction out of the seething Canadian.

It goes to say that it worked.

Maddie lept forward and sprang into action. Her hands reached forward. She was ready to pummel anything that moved. But alas, this had only encouraged the German. Laughing as they danced back and forth, Gilbert was on the defensive. He ducked and avoided her blows, but he never returned one's of his own. He was patronizing her and Maddie vied to wipe that goddamned smirk from his face. Grinning when she had dealt him with a fatal blow to the stomach, Maddie pulled back. The German keeled over and she couldn't have been any prouder.

"Not so hot now, huh Gil? OH MAPLE!" The Canadian screamed when the German rammed right into her. Gilbert spun her around and wrapped a playful arm around her throat. He now had her trapped in a mock choke hold.

Fuming, Maddie struggled under the German's sturdily placed arm. "GILBERT. LET. ME. GO." the Canadian warned the German in an icy tone despite the fact that she held absolutely no leverage over the situation. Gilbert was tall and his strength easily over took Maddie's small, delicate stature. Much to her greatest and utmost displeasure.

The German cackled as he tightened his grip around her neck. "Now why would I do that?" he cooed. Maddie shivered when she felt his breath tickle against her ear. She could hardly breathe and it wasn't just because she was nearly being strangled by that idiotic German. Pressed against Gilbert's firm body, Maddie was strangely comfortable. But she had no intention of letting the German have the satisfaction of knowing that. He was warm. She could feel his chest rise and fall when he breathed, or cackled in this case. He was still relishing in the glory of pulling off his hostage stunt.

Maddie's lips pursed into a sly smile. She used her free hand to tap the German on his forearm. "What, giving in already?" he tutted.

The Canadian merely rolled her eyes. "Nope! But I do have an offer...if you're interested."

"I'm listening."

"Let me go and I'll tell you," Maddie asserted in a firm voice.

Gilbert's grip on her lessened. But only by a tad. "How stupid do you think I am?" Maddie raised her foot. She smirked. It was time to distract her captor. She was merely baiting with the clueless German.

"I was thinking somewhere along the lines of a fruit fly, but even that's generous," the Canadian quipped with a snort.

"Tsk! For someone in a choke hold you sure are ballsy-" The German faltered mid-sentence. He howled out in pain when a steel toed boot come crashing down onto his foot.

"A-HAH!" The Canadian cried out triumphantly. While Gilbert tended to his wounded foot, Maddie pranced over to the front door. "Onwards, my dear friend! Where are we off too now?" she beamed.

Gilbert looked up to give Maddie a quizzical look. "Did you just call me 'friend'?"

"Y-yeah…why?" Maddie's exuberance quickly died down. She shuffled her feet and averted her gaze to the ground. Her hand gripped onto the doorknob tightly. It steadied her.

The Canadian cursed to herself. She needed to stop acting so impulsive.

"Never mind," the German smiled, looking pleased with himself. Maddie was glad that her comment had been waved off.

"Do you mind if I pop upstairs and say hello to Cheya before we leave?" Maddie raised a brow at the German. Her mouth parted upon in confusion. She analyzed his unprecedentedly sheepish behaviour. Perhaps he didn't notice it himself, but Maddie was quick to pick up on his nervousness. Every word that the German now spoke was hesitant. Perhaps even restricted. This worried Maddie. He was clearly bothered by something. Maddie didn't want to pry, but she couldn't help but wonder what would cause such an odd change in mood.

"Erm...Cheya's hosting a study group in the library tonight. She left over an hour ago."

"Oh," the German muttered, seemingly disappointed. "Well, we should get going then. Granted it's not a far walk, but you'll see soon enough." The German held open the door for the Canadian. He shed her with a half-hearted grin. But Gilbert wasn't fooling Maddie any time soon. His smile said it all: behind his grin, there was something much deeper. It was something that indicated a hidden pain that Maddie couldn't fathom to understand.

What happened to the boisterous boy who loved to hear himself talk?

* * *

 **Thanks to:** TheBlueAcid, Layla, Guest, Guest, Shah, and Latrecerc for reviewing the last chapter

There we go! Hey Guys? Guess what? We are slowly but gradually working our way up to the main conflict of the story! But even then, that part's going to be really long. Bear with me here! I just hope that you're enjoying the story :D Things start to go down next chapter, if it's any consolation.

 **TheBlueAcid** : You're welcome, I'll just settle for the fact that we're both equally awesome.

 **Guest** : No, that chapter wasn't based off of a real experience, although I agree, it would be pretty hilarious if it was. The inspiration was just my weird imagination :P !

 **Guest** : Don't feel bad if you didn't follow or favourite the story! You took the time to review which honestly means the world to me!

 **Layla:** I can't wait either! (*fangirling intensifies despite the fact that I'm the author).


	17. Unamoosed

**Unamoosed:**

 **Arthur's POV:** (Sunday Night)

Eyebrows twitching with irritation, Arthur did everything in his willpower not to set the stack of papers in front of him on fire. It was obvious that some of these students didn't belong in University. Fingering through the pile of papers, the Briton kept a special eye out for his girlfriend's name. He wasn't sure if he'd be able to mark her paper without having any bias. Cheya always had a softening effect on him. Worse case scenario he could always sneak her paper into Kiku's office.

Arthur leaned back into his leather swivel chair. He had been marking papers for hours on end. His red pen scribbled across the the blank white papers in a heated disarray. He would scoff whenever he came across a ridiculously thought out sentence. Which, unfortunately, happened quite often. "They're all idiots," the Briton groaned to himself.

Arthur flinched when he heard someone knock on the front door to his office. The Briton cleared his throat. "Come in." A stone faced Kiku poked his head around the frame of the door. "Sorry, if I'm..." the Japanese took a quick look at the Briton's blatantly flustered state. "...intruding. But do you have a minute to spare, Mr. Kirkland?"

The Briton rolled his eyes. "Kiku, we've been friends for close to four years now. You don't have to be so formal. And yes, of course. How can I help you?" Kiku bowed his head anyways. The Japanese entered the office. He paused to smile at the legendary amount of empty coffee cups that had been pilled against the window sill. The Japanese then seated himself before the Briton's desk.

"Mr-, ah excuse me, Arthur. Would you mind putting down your pen? I'd like your full attention, if you don't mind." The Japanese spoke in a serious tone. Using his amazing and well renowned detective skills, the Briton was able to pick up on his friend's frustration.

Wary of Kiku's odd behaviour, Arthur pushed his papers to the side. "To what do I owe the pleasure, Kiku?"

The Japanese was always one to be blunt.

"I know about Miss Bonnefoy." Kiku stared at Arthur. His coal black eyes were impassive. They ruthlessly scanned the Briton for any hint of emotion.

Arthur froze. He carefully contemplated his next action. If he slipped up or revealed too much, Kiku would clue in. And that would lead to even more trouble. He wasn't sure what would happen if he got caught, but losing his job as a TA was a given. It was unprofessional to be engaged in a relationship with a student. He needed a ruse to fall back on. Time was ticking, and if Arthur didn't answer soon, Kiku's suspicion was sure to grow.

"What about Miss Bonnefoy?" the Briton mocked in a jovial, teasing voice.

Kiku sighed. The Japanese then pulled out his phone from the breast pocket of his white cadet jacket. He scrolled through his phone for a brief moment before placing it onto the desk. Kiku leaned back into chair. His eyes were penetrating. The silence was unnerving. The Japanese was waiting for his friend to respond.

Arthur leaned forward to look at the phone. Displayed on the screen was a photo of him and Cheya. They were holding hands near what looked to be the entrance of the History building. Cursing to himself, Arthur looked up to meet his friend's stern gaze. The Briton's face was cold as he confronted a pair of equally indifferent black eyes.

"What do you want?" the Briton snapped. He spoke harshly.

"Mr. Kirkland. I can assure you that I mean no harm."

"Then perhaps you shouldn't have taken that photo in the first place." Arthur glowered at Kiku. He was betrayed and hurt by this acute invasion of privacy. And it wasn't like this photo was taken in open daylight. This photo was taken late at night. Some snooping was definitely involved.

Kiku cleared his throat. "I value our friendship very much which is why I will keep this secret to myself. But I can't help but worry. What if she's simply looking to improve her mark?"

Arthur revolted. It didn't take a genius to know that Cheya had taken up a fancy to him. As brash and obnoxious that she could be sometimes, the French would blush the instant that he came anywhere near her. It was quite adorable, really. "I'm not sure that I like what you're insinuating Kiku. But I'd appreciate it if you left it be. What I'm doing may be wrong, but this is my business. Not yours."

Kiku clearly wasn't satisfied with that answer. "Please, Mr-Kirkland-"

"Bloody hell. Just call me Arthur," the Briton deadpanned.

"Arthur," the Japanese corrected himself. "The possibility of this ending badly is-" Once more, Arthur held up a hand to silence his colleague.

"Really Kiku, thank you. But I'm sure that I can protect myself should the time arise," the Briton scoffed indignantly. The Japanese realized that his presence was no longer wanted.

Kiku stood up and walked over to the door. "Do be careful Arthur. Ruining your career over a mere girl would be quite unfortunate."

And with that, the Japanese slid out of the office.

The Briton's head slammed onto his desk. "Fuck!"

* * *

 **Lovina's POV:** (Sunday Night)

"Sorella! Nonno's on the phone!" Lovina groaned. She snuggled closer to the Spaniard. They were both sitting on the couch. He had his arm wrapped around her shoulders.

"You should talk to him, Lovi." The Spaniard purred into the Italian's ear. His comment went ignored. The Italian then decided to distract herself with a giant mouthful of chips and salsa.

"What's that? Can't hear you bastard. I'm too busy eating," Lovina huffed. She was enjoying herself. And she certainly didn't want listen to another one of her nonno's half-ass lectures. As if he actually cared about her well-being. Spending time with Antonio relaxed her. And Lovina shamelessly used this to her own advantage. He was a giant, slightly moronic, but ever effective stress ball.

Feli's patience was growing thin. "SORELLA!" Said bitch stormed into the living room. Feli's lips quivered. She was trying to form a scowl on her face. It goes to say that she failed miserably. The best that Feli could muster was a faint-hearted pout. It was hard to look intimidating when you were wearing a frilly pink apron. "Nonno's on the phone," she repeated. Feli shed the snuggling couple with a wry grin when she took notice to their seemingly comfortable positions.

"Tell him I'm busy!" Lovina snapped.

The Spaniard's arm tightened around the Italian's shoulders. He gave her a gentle shake. "It won't kill you to talk to him." Antonio spoke to her in a reassuring tone. Lovina grumbled profanities under her breath. Antonio ran a consoling hand through her hair. The Italian was grateful to have someone to fall back and lean onto. Whether it was his dopey grin, his wide green eyes, or perhaps even those wild brown curls, Lovina had taken a profound liking to this bastard.

But it was only until recently that Lovina had truly clued into her feelings for him. Initially, she had merely brushed him off. Her pride had blocked any sense of reason. She had initially deemed him to be unworthy of her time. ' _Just another stonzo looking to get lucky._...'

However, as time passed and the Italian stepped away from her prejudices, a scary sort of revelation streaked across her mind. What if he truly loved her? Lovina was fond of Antonio, sure, but love? Love was just too demanding. Too pressuring. Too...unrealistic (?). To her, love was a facade. It was the type of feeling that people 'loved' to personify. It was something that satisfied egos. People would brag about love. They would flout about their relationship for everyone to see. But that wasn't real. Love was corny. It was fake and it sickened the Italian whenever she heard people boast about it. She hated watching how people who had supposedly 'loved' each other resort to feelings of hatred and bitterness. Love wasn't unconditional. It ruined lives.

What she had with Antonio, this noncommittal relationship of sorts, was enough for now. Lovina didn't want anything to ruin it. All she could do was just hope that Antonio felt the same way.

"Oh please, the Italian rolled her eyes. "He's only calling because he wants something out of me." Antonio turned his head to glare down at her. His smoldering green eyes pierced right through Lovina's arrogant demeanor.

Balls. She was growing soft. "Fine," Lovina relented. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Lovina made a beckoning motion at her sorella.

Feli padded over and handed Lovina the phone. "There's no need to worry Vina," she chided. "You'll be just fine." Annoyed, Lovina clicked her tongue. The last thing that she needed right now was sympathy. Antonio grabbed Lovina's hand. He ran a consoling thumb over it.

"I'm right here with you," he whispered. The Spaniard placed a chaste kiss onto the Italian's cheek.

Lovina put the phone on speaker. "Ciao Nonno."

" _Bambina! I was so worried! How have you been_?" Lovina just about gagged. She wished that her nonno would cut it with the formalities. Everything that streamed out of his mouth was pure bullshit anyways.

Lovina spoke in curt sentences. "Could be better. You?"

" _Forget about me! Although_ ," Nonno paused. Lovina pictured him stroking the stubble on his chin. " _Feli told me something quite interesting the other day_ ," he mused. Lovina's head instantaneously snapped in Feli's direction. The bitch was clever. She had retreated far into the kitchen. Feli was nosy, but she had a sixth sense when it came to avoiding trouble.

"Oh? What did she say?" Lovina asked in a eerily cheerful voice. It killed her to do so, but she had to immerse herself in the happy go lucky role if she wanted to get more information.

 _"That you wanted to be a lawyer_!" Lovina sucked in a large breath. Antonio, god bless him, secured an arm around the Italian's waist. Lovina was _this_ close to leaping out of her seat and strangling a _certain_ someone. "I see," the Italian morosely deadpanned.

 _"That's all that you have to say_?!" Lovina's vision blurred. Big fucking deal. This wasn't the first time that she had disappointed her family. But something about her nonno's tone of voice made her feel nervous. He didn't sound angry. In fact, he sounded offended. Wounded per say.

"Look, Nonno, I'm sorry..." Lovina was cut off mid-sentence. Nonno cleared his throat.

"What are you sorry for?! It's about time that you got serious about something. Honestly, bambina, I couldn't be any prouder!"

Antonio pulled Lovina into a tighter embrace. "See Lovi," he chuckled into her ear. "I told you that everything would work out!" His words fell deaf on Lovina's numb ears. Feli too joined in on the celebration. The bitch started to dance around in the kitchen. Her obnoxious veh's of delight filled the room.

Lovina let out a loathsome sigh. She was surrounded by idiots. "Um, thanks," the Italian, in a dumb moment of 'sheer brilliance', muttered in awe. She hardly ever received her Nonno's praise. Lovina decided to enjoy this moment for what it was: a rare occasion that was still nonetheless pleasing. Things were looking good for the Italian...that is until her Nonno decided to drop a mother fucking atomic bomb onto her smug parade.

" _So, who's this Tonio fellow? Feli spoke very fondly of him_."

The Spaniard yelped. The Italian's nails were digging into his palm. Lovina spoke through clenched teeth. "Sorry Nonno. I'm going to have to call you back."

" _Wait! Bambina_!" Too fucking late. Lovina had already hung up the phone. Lovina let go of Antonio's hand. Her hands clenched into fists and a glowering expression crossed over her face.

Feli shed Lovina with a sheepish smile. "S-sorella? she stuttered nervously.

The Spaniard had no time to react. Lovina lunged forward. Combat boots stomped against the ground. The entire apartment trembled in the quake of Lovina's anger.

Antonio spared Lovina a worried glance. "Lovi?"

Lovina ignored him. Her eyes narrowed in on her target. Hmmm. She could always strangle Feli with the strings of her cooking apron.

Never mind. That was way too easy.

Her sorella deserved to suffer.

Feli gulped.

With a serene look on her face, Lovina dealt out the last word's that her sorella would ever hear: "Pasta la Vista Bitchface."

"LOVI NO!"

CRASH!

* * *

 **Gilbert's POV:** (Sunday Night)

Gilbert grimaced. If he wasn't careful, Maddie would surely grow suspicious. It was hard, but he was just going to have to suck it up and put his feelings aside. Talking to Cheya could wait. Right now he had a friend to help. And even though he was the one who had called her, Gilbert felt guilty. The German enjoyed spending time with the Canadian. He really did. But hanging out with her was a form of release. It was a time where he could escape from his worries. He was unrestricted and he could act without fear.

But something kept ticking at the back of the German's mind. By helping Maddie overcome her shyness, Gilbert found that he too benefited from these lessons. It was a good distraction. And it was this type of selfishness that made the German resent himself even more. This was just how it was. Everything that he did, no matter how pure that the initial intentions were, always turned to shit.

A pair of soft violet eyes bored into the German. They effectively snapped him out of his rut. "Eh, Gilbert? Are you alright?" Gilbert smiled. Leave it to Maddie's sweet face to cheer him up. That is, when she wasn't running a fist into his stomach of course.

The German nodded. "Ja." He dazed off into space. The Canadian locked her apartment door. Her long blonde hair swept over her shoulder. Gilbert admired how the light bounced off of it. Her hair was the most beautiful shade of gold. Funny how he didn't notice this before...

Gilbert smiled again when he remembered their little scuffle from earlier. He loved to provoke her. But what he loved most was when her eyes would flare with a determined light. She was ruthless. Maddie didn't put up with his conniving schemes. She fought back. The Canadian's strong will was one of her most admirable qualities. Irking her was fun for a number of reasons. It helped him become more acquainted with her quirks.

Maddie was interesting and Gilbert felt that the entire world deserved to hear her speak. She was charming and witty. Hell. She was beautiful. And when she wasn't dealing out insults at his expense, the Canadian was also quite humorous. Gilbert wanted to see Maddie for who she truly was and the small hints that she let him off with weren't satisfying enough. It was only natural to be curious. But what struck up a chord with the German was the degree of fondness that he felt towards her. It was both humbling and gratifying.

The Canadian just had that effect on him. She always knew how to rouse and irk him out of his slumps. But most important of all, Maddie helped him enjoy the small things in life. Being in her presence, it didn't take Gilbert long to act out on his whims. He would simply fall back into his teasing nature. All stresses would be forgotten. He enjoyed bantering back and forth with the timid Canadian. He felt a sense of familiarity with her. The spunky rhythm of their playful feuds fueled the German's confidence. He could be himself with her. And that's all that really mattered in the end.

Finished with locking the door, Maddie turned around. "So where are we off to now?" The Canadian faltered. The echo of a large bang rumbled through out the hallway. The German gulped. He planned to take Maddie to the very place where the bang had come from: The Vargas twin's apartment.

 _"LOVI STOP IT!"_

 _"SORELLAAAAAAAAA."_

Gilbert and Maddie exchanged worried looks. The German placed an ear to the door of the Vargas' apartment. Maddie quickly followed his lead. "That's Feli's and Lovina's apartment. I wouldn't worry too much. They fight like this all the time," the Canadian reassured.

"Oh, I'm worrying alright. That's where I plan to take you," Gilbert muttered. Maddie gaped at him in response. Fair enough. They were walking into a war zone, after all.

Gilbert wrenched open the apartment door. He walked into a scene straight out of hell. Chaos was another way to put it. The German took a moment to assess the situation. High pitched squealing rang to his right. Gilbert turned his head. A terrified looking Feli was pinned up against the fridge. Her tiny body was being throttled around like a rag doll. Lovina was strangling her.

"LOVI! THAT'S ENOUGH!" The Spaniard wailed. Antonio bent over and hugged the raging Italian from behind. He was trying, unsuccessfully, to pull the feuding sisters apart.

Lovina screeched something incoherent and elbowed Antonio in the crotch. The Spaniard dropped to the ground like a fly. Groans of pain joined the symphony of chaos.

A desperate pair of green eyes latched onto Gilbert. "A little help would be nice," the Spaniard wheezed.

"S-s-sorella!' Feli choked. Feli's face flushed to a dangerous shade of purple. "I'm sorry!"

Lovina hands tightened around Feli's throat.

"I'M SORRY?! GIVE ME A GOOD FUCKING REASON WHY I SHOULDN'T STAPLE YOUR MOUTH SHUT!" Lovina growled.

Gilbert had seen enough. "HEY! Let's act like civilized people, shall we?"

"SHUT IT WURST FUCKER! I'M A LITTLE BUSY HERE!" This temporary distraction gave Antonio just enough time to tear Lovina away from Feli. Gilbert's ears rang. The fiery Italian lashed out. She screamed, kicked and swore. The Spaniard, brave in his will, scooped her up into his arms. Antonio carried Lovina, bridle style, into the living room.

While the Spaniard sealed his death wish, the German ran into the kitchen. He wasn't sure how to comfort the other (sniffling) Vargas twin. Feli trembled. Her eyes were wide with fear. She was still being glared at by her fuming sister.

Maddie walked into the kitchen. "Oh Feli. What happened?" she soothed. The Canadian placed a hand onto the sobbing Italian's shoulder.

"I-I..." Feli hiccuped only to cry out again. Lovina had broken free from Antonio's grasp. "AHHHH! SCUSA! SCUSA! SCUSA!" Feli reached for a nearby (white) dish cloth. Feli's face blanched. She frantically waved the cloth back and forth. "Don't kill me, please! I didn't get to marry Luddy yet!" she shrieked.

"WHO IN THE FLIPPING FUCK IS LUDDY?!" Lovina stormed into the kitchen. Antonio was quick on her heels. Knowing that Feli would be in Maddie's trusted hands, Gilbert stepped forward.

Both of his arms jutted out to block Lovina's path. A brave act on his part. "Now, now Lovina. Lest we forget about our secret agreement, hmmm?" Gilbert spoke low enough so that only Lovina could hear him.

Perhaps he was being a dick, but blackmailing people had always been a talent of his. Back when she and Antonio had had their precious moment of reconciliation, Gilbert had taken the opportunity to document it. In other words, he possessed a juicy photo of the couple snogging each other. So unless Lovina wanted this photo to spread like wildfire, she was going to help him.

Lovina bared her teeth at him. A clawed finger penetrated through the German's shirt and deep into his chest. It broke through several layers of skin. "Sleep with one eye open, potato bastard. Because I WILL kill you when I get my hands on that photo." Grumbling profanities in Italian, Lovina turned on her heels and stomped off into the living room. Gilbert scoffed as he watched Antonio scamper after her.

"MADDIE?!" the Canadian jumped upon hearing her name. "GET IN HERE!" Lovina bellowed.

Maddie spared Feli a worried look. The timid Vargas twin waved off the Canadian with a faint smile.

Maddie gulped. "C-Coming!"

Gilbert facepalmed.

He had a rough night ahead of him.

...

Gilbert pouted when Lovina held up a hand to silence him (again). The lesson was supposed to be a dual effort, but the Italian was much too stubborn to accept his help. Anyhow, the German was impassive to the unfolding chaos. Whatever happened was meant to be. Gilbert smiled to himself. He was watching the lesson unfold from the sidelines of the couch and what he saw was nothing short of amusing. Maddie absorbed every word of Lovina's lecture. Her wide violet eyes were wide with awe. The Canadian looked up to the fierce Italian woman.

"Oi! Maple Bitch! Why are we here?" Lovina interrogated. Gilbert whistled. Lovina had always been intimidating, but this took the authoritative role to a whole other level. Lovina paced back and forth across the living room. She prowled. The Italian's lips curled into a smug looking smile. She was relishing in the Canadian's unwavering attention. Like Gilbert, Lovina loved the sound of her own voice.

Antonio cooed his encouragement. Gilbert rolled his eyes. The Spaniard's eyes had fixed themselves onto the fiery Italian's long legs. They ruthlessly trailed after her every move. Lovina clacked around the room in black pumped heels. Her red, flowy skirt slithered behind her. She fit the role of devil's advocate quite well.

Gilbert supposed that he could understand Antonio's attraction to Lovina. If you overlooked the scowl and overall shitty attitude, Lovina was actually quite pretty. But she wasn't the one who Gilbert was focusing on. At the moment, the German had his eyes trained onto the adorable Canadian girl standing before him.

"I'm here to learn how to..." Maddie paused. A look of hesitation crossed over her face. Gilbert flashed her with an encouraging smile. Maddie gave him a curt nod in response.

"I'm here to learn how to get noticed!" the Canadian piped up in a much louder voice.

Gilbert's grin stretched from ear to ear.

 _Way to go Maddie._

The German beamed with pride. His underling was slowly coming out of her shell.

Lovina grunted her approval. "I see that you've taken off your glasses. Hmmm...You're wearing make up too." The Italian remarked with a raised brow. "Well, that's a start at least."

Something in Gilbert snapped. "Lovina," he scowled. "Stay on topic."

So what if Maddie took off her glasses and put on make up? What did that have to do with anything? The glasses look suited Maddie and Lovina's criticism of her appearance was more than unnecessary. It was fruitless superficialities like these that made Gilbert feel sick to his stomach. The Canadian's character was the only thing that mattered to him. She was fucking perfect and nothing would convince him otherwise.

Lovina snorted. She averted her gaze away from the glaring German. "That's not what I meant, dumbass. She hides behind her glasses when she speaks to people."

Gilbert crossed his arms. "That still doesn't explain why you pointed out her makeup." Maddie shifted uncomfortably.

"I was simply acknowledging the fact that she had made the effort to put it on," Lovina retorted. The Italian turned around to face the silent Canadian. "Don't get me wrong. You look perfectly fine in your glasses. But you need to look people in the eye when you speak to them, capiche?"

"R-right!"

"Sorella!" A distraught Feli called out from her safe haven in the kitchen. It was a smart decision, really. Lovina was still mad at Feli for whatever reason. It was best to keep the two sisters separated for the time being. "Don't forget about your acronym!" Feli trilled with a wide smile.

Gilbert deadpanned. Mein Gott, was Feli always this happy? Less than ten minutes ago she had almost been strangled to death by her borderline psycho sister. Now seated at the kitchen table, Feli was snacking on a cold piece of pizza. The happier Vargas twin was enjoying the lesson just as much as anyone else.

"I'll get to that in a minute. There's other stuff that I need to address first," Lovina said with a coy smile.

Ignoring her sister's pout of protest, Lovina immersed herself in another rant. Her hands flailed around. The Italian was drilling a long series of unawesome rules into the Canadian's more than willing head.

Gilbert didn't bother to listen. He was only paying attention to the Canadian's flustered reactions. Lovina was coaching Maddie on how to yell properly. But the Canadian's heart just wasn't in it. Maddie panted. She stubbornly clenched her fists together. She refused to give up. She intended to make the most out of her lesson.

The German chuckled to himself. Everything made sense now. He was helping Maddie because he enjoyed seeing the sight of her smile. It was pleasing to watch the Canadian grow with confidence. The stage was set and the spotlight was there. But it was up to the Canadian herself to fit the role. Gilbert savoured the moments where Maddie would step outside of her inhibitions. He prided himself on her accomplishments. She was evolving. She was no longer encased in a cocoon of doubt and hesitation. It was an amazing spectacle to watch. And as time went on, the German's fondness for the Canadian grew.

 _If only he had her courage..._

Antonio tapped Gilbert on the shoulder. "It's not polite to stare," he teased.

Gilbert glowered at the smug looking Spaniard. "Why wouldn't I stare?" he defended. "I need to make sure that the lesson goes according to plan." The German then crossed his arms. Any teasing attempts that Antonio made at conversation were ignored. Gilbert's attention went back to the lesson at hand. Which was impossible not to since Lovina's ramblings were becoming increasingly louder.

Gilbert groaned at the sight before him. Lovina's foul mouth was corrupting the Canadian's innocence.

"Oi, Maddie!" Lovina huffed. "What are the five essentials to being a bitch?"

Maddie rose to the challenge. " **PISS**!" the Canadian shouted back. " **P:** Protect yourself from an asshole at all costs! **P:** Project yourself; break their eardrums! **I:** Inflict the most possible damage to their self-esteem! **S:** Stomp on their balls! **S:** Smile and crush them when they least expect it!" Maddie spat out these lines in perfect harmony. The Canadian grinned. She turned around to face the now despairing German. No words could describe how Gilbert felt at the moment.

Both Gilbert and Antonio were stunned into silence. They were perturbed and perhaps even a little bit frightened by this feminine rite of passage. Feli, on the other hand, thrived under these disturbing conditions.

The happier Vargas twin clapped her hands together in excitement. "Ve! I'm so proud of you Maddie!" she gushed.

Gilbert and Antonio's incredulous looks went ignored. The girls were too busy squealing, or shouting in Lovina's case. A faint smirk played onto Lovina's lips. She held up an authoritative hand to silence the other two girls. "Let's put these words into action, shall we?"

Lovina beckoned Antonio forward. Antonio trembled under her shark-like gaze. Blood would no doubt be spilled. "Up you go bastard. I need you."

Antonio ran a nervous hand through his curls. "Ehehe Lovi, do I really have to?" The Spaniard was cut off mid-sentence. A clawed hand yanked him forward. Despite his height advantage, the Spaniard cowered in the Italian's presence. He grinned sheepishly.

Lovina shoved Maddie forward. The Canadian stumbled to a stop in front of the Spaniard. "Go on," Lovina commanded. "Insult him."

Antonio bowed his head in shame. Of course he would be used as their guinea pig. He shouldn't have expected otherwise.

Gilbert stood up from the couch. He was completely exasperated. "Is that really necessary?!"

Lovina cocked her head to the side. "I'm sorry. Whose lesson is this?"

Gilbert decided to let the topic drop. He enjoyed living, thank you very much.

Maddie's lips quivered. She gave the Spaniard a somber look. "Do I really have to?" the Canadian hesitated. "It just seems...so wrong," she finished quietly.

Lovina rolled her eyes. "Ugh fine. I'll do it. Oi! Bastard! Look me in the eye when I talk to you."

Antonio reluctantly looked up to meet a pair of smug hazel eyes. "Yes Lovi?" he just about whimpered.

"What's something that you and a bag of chips have in common?" When the Spaniard made no indication of responding to her jest, the Italian scoffed. "You're both full of air! HAHAHAHAHA!" Lovina's joke caused Gilbert to crack up with laughter. SMACK! The German and Italian high-fived each other.

The Spaniard's pride was beyond repair at this point. Antonio scowled. Eventually, the laughter in the room died down.

Antonio trudged back to the couch and sat down.

"Sorella!" Feli whined. "This is why you're going to die alone!" Lovina was too busy laughing to heed any attention to her sister.

Maddie walked over to Antonio. She reached out to place a comforting hand onto his slumped shoulder. Her 'Mama Bear' instincts were in full swing. "I wouldn't worry too much. I've seen the way that she looks at you. She likes you very much."

The Spaniard appeared to perk up at the thought.

"What was that Maple Bitch?"

"Nothing!"

"OI!" Gilbert interrupted with an amused grin on his face. "Why doesn't Maddie have a go at me instead?" the German leered at the Canadian with a patronizing glare. He wanted to light up that determined spark in her eyes. He wanted to see her angry. He wanted to watch her transcend over her self-conscious imprisonment. But most of all he wanted to watch her stand up for herself.

Maddie shrugged. "I don't have to insult you. You're stupid enough to make a fool out of yourself on your own." Lovina gave Maddie an approving nod.

The Italian sat next to the moping Spaniard on the couch. "Man up, will you?" she muttered. Lovina groaned when Antonio, mischievous grin and all, snaked an arm around her shoulders.

Gilbert laughed to mask his surprise. He hadn't been expecting such a witty rebuttal.

 _Oh well,_ he thought. _Guess I really have to piss her off._

Gilbert walked over to the front entrance of the apartment. He bent down and started to rummage through his backpack.

"What are you doing?" the Canadian asked in a wary voice.

 _Don't worry. You'll find out soon enough_ Gilbert mused to himself. The German cried out in triumph. He pulled out a familiar glass object from his bag.

Gilbert held up a bottle of maple syrup to the air. He relished in the Canadian's horrified expression.

Lovina, Feli and Antonio exchanged confused looks.

But it didn't matter in the end. Gilbert had gotten the reaction that he wanted. "Lovina dear. Hold her back, will you?"

For some odd reason, Lovina complied.

The Italian shared a smug smile with the conniving German. She stood up and walked over to the Canadian.

Lovina grabbed Maddie's wrist. "You know the drill," she quipped. "Let him have it."

To make his threat seem all the more real, Gilbert strolled into the kitchen. He uncorked the maple syrup bottle. "You have 30 seconds to come up with an insult. If not..." Gilbert tilted the maple syrup bottle over the sink. "Bye, bye Maple!"

Maddie just about screamed in agony. It was as if her entire life hung in the balance. "W-when did you get that?!" she spluttered. The Canadian screamed profanities in French. Gilbert merely shook his head. That wasn't good enough. Maddie struggled to free herself from Lovina's unyielding grip.

"You really shouldn't leave your maple syrup out in the open like that. It was quite the easy picking," the German mused.

"GILBERT! I'M WARNING YOU!" The Canadian fumed. Her long blonde hair thrashed all over the place. Her teeth were bared like a wild animal. But the thing that the German took the most pleasure in was her eyes. Wide and frightened, Maddie's pupil's dilated. Angst and feelings of helplessness had overcome her. She was letting the German's antics get the best of her.

"Ah-Ah-Ah!' the German waggled a scolding finger at the struggling Canadian. "Now let me have it," he drawled out in a mocking voice. The room grew eerily quiet. Maddie stopped struggling.

Lovina eyed Maddie's complacent expression with worried eyes. She didn't hesitate to let go of the Canadian. The Italian sensed an upcoming danger. The German, on the other hand, was blissfully ignorant to such a revelation.

"Hey Gilbert?" the Canadian asked in a serene voice.

Gilbert smirked. "Ja?" For good measure, he teasingly sloshed the maple syrup bottle around.

"YOU DUMBASS! WHO THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?!" Maddie raged. She paced and twitched around the room. Her hands were itching to lash out at something; anything.

"LOOK AT ME!" the Canadian mocked. "I'M GILBERT! KESESESE! I LAUGH LIKE A MOTHER FUCKING CLOWN ON CRACK! WELL YOU KNOW WHAT?! FUCK YOU! FUCK YOU AND YOUR DAMNED STUPID LAUGH! I HOPE THAT YOU CHOKE ON YOUR FAT TONGUE! WHY DON'T YOU DO EVERYONE HERE A FAVOUR AND JUST SHUT THE FUCK UP?!"

Panting for air, the Canadian doubled over. Her hands fell onto her knees.

Lovina wiped a proud tear from the corner of her eyes. Feli and Antonio held onto each other for support. All of their faces were beet red. They were practically howling with laughter.

Gilbert gulped.

 _Note to ze awesome me: Don't ever get between a Canadian and their maple syrup._

* * *

 **Maddie's POV:**

"Hey, Lovina?" A lazy pair of hazel eyes rolled over to glance at the Canadian. At this current moment, the Canadian and Vargas twins were relaxing on the living room couch. They were engaged in a movie marathon of sorts. Or 'studying' as Lovina liked to it. They were analyzing and rating the various categories of bitches found within the films. Maddie was absolutely exhausted. Shouting at Gilbert had expended most of her energy. It didn't help that she had an early class the following morning. The thought of waking up so early made her feel even sleepier.

"I think that I'll call it quits for now. I'm getting tired." The Canadian stood up from the couch and stretched.

"Say hi to the wine bitch for me."

Maddie scoffed. "Sure thing. Good night." The Canadian waved at the half-asleep twins.

Feli, who was snoozing on Lovina's shoulder, sat up. She rubbed her eyes and smiled. "Night!" It didn't take Feli long to fall asleep again.

The Canadian turned on her heels. She walked towards the apartment's outdoor balcony. The boys had gone out there to enjoy the cool night. Maddie still hadn't apologized to Gilbert about earlier. Not that he actually deserved one. But still. The German had taken time out of his day to help her. It was only right to express some form of gratitude, albeit it being reluctant.

Maddie reached out to pull open the screen door. She faltered at the sound of hushed, secretive whispers. Making sure that she was still hidden behind the blinds, Maddie pressed an ear to the screen door. The twins were too sleepy to heed her any attention. No one was there to question her eavesdropping.

"Have you told her yet?" Antonio asked.

Maddie heard Gilbert inhale sharply. "I haven't had the chance to. She's always off somewhere doing God knows what. It's beginning to get on my nerves."

"Come now. Surely she's not avoiding you on purpose."

"You don't get it. I think that she knows...Every time that I flirt with her she's quick to leave."

"Cheya can be shy at times. I wouldn't read too much into it. For all we know, she could share your feelings."

Maddie had heard enough. Vision blurring, she stalked over to the front door. She grabbed her bag. Tears started to pool in her eyes. She wiped at them angrily.

Lovina shrugged off her sleeping sister. Feli fell onto the couch with a soft plop. "Oi, Maddie..." The Italian hesitated when she took notice to the Canadian's forlorn expression.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Maddie dashed out of the Vargas' apartment. She couldn't breathe. She needed to get out of there.

The Canadian thrust open the door to her own apartment. The door slammed shut. Somehow, Maddie found herself slumped over the kitchen counter. The room started to spin. Maddie keeled to the floor. Her breathing was unsteady. Her chest ballooned with an overwhelming amount of anxiety.

And then came the anger.

Maddie tore off her head band and screamed. It was a guttural sort of sound. She was letting out all of her frustrations. The Canadian let the comfort of isolate cushion her. Tears streamed down her face. She wailed and hugged her knees, slowly rocking back and forth.

Her ears rang, her eyes were dry, and her body ached; the Canadian was broken. She was torn apart and strung along by the whims of her treacherous emotions. She was hovering over the brink of despair. The person that she loved didn't reciprocate her feelings.

Yes. She could finally admit it. She loved that cocky albino. So much so that all she did was set herself up for disappointment.

The Canadian chuckled bitterly. "I'm so stupid."

 _It's foolish really. Who would ever like a girl like me?_

* * *

 **A/N:** ALL ABOARD THE FEELS TRAIN! I'm pretty satisfied with this chapter though. It took a lot of willpower not to upload it sooner. I wanted to make sure that it was perfect.

 **Thanks to:** Guest, Guest, and PastelPandemonium for reviewing the last chapter!


	18. Devils Advodkate

Oi! Bastards! Lovina here. So, you liked my PISS instructions, eh? Well of course you fucking did! HAHAHAHA!

*Blushes and Clears Throat*

(Fusososo. Lovi, you look like a tomato~)

(SHUT THE FUCK UP! Che, stupid bastard. Can't you see that I'm busy here?)

Uh...shit. What was I talking about again? Ah yes: Dealing with the all elusive fuck boy.

ATTENTION ALL VAGINAS!

(Tsk Lovi...)

OH FINE. LADIES LISTEN UP! To those of you who have trouble shaking off a stronzo, let me give you a few pieces of advice. Rule #1: You've got to be a badass in the art of Tom Fuckery.

Hmmm? You don't know what I'm talking about? Chigi. You guys really are hopeless. So help me God.

Alright. I'm going to take this _real_ slow. Let's start with my fuck acronym. I'll give you an example:

Meet Tom. Tom's an asshole. Tom won't leave you alone. Tom keeps hitting on you. And now there's you. You're not taking any of Tom's shit. All you want to do is dip the fuck out of there. But here's the catch. Tom won't let you.

OH NO! Whatever will you do?

Well fear no more shithead's. Queen bitch has got your sorry asses covered.

Now, let's get on to the good stuff, shall we?

 **Step 0:** To be one with the bitch, one must not be quick to draw out their claws. I'll stress it again: This procedure is to be used only if you have no other options. Capiche?

 **Step 1 (F)** : Fist. Curl you hand into a fist. Now imagine the look on Tom's face when you stick that bitch down his throat. Not so smooth now, are you Tom? What's that? You're choking? Ah. That's too bad. Perhaps you shouldn't have opened your fat fucking mouth in the fist place. *Bows* Grazie, Grazie, I'll be here all story.

 **Step 2 (U)** : Undercut. Pull that bitch (your fist) out of Tom's throat. Give him a chance to breathe. Now punch him again. In the throat. Listen to his girly ass screams. Revel in them. Savor the moment. Now open your mouth and refer to step three.

 **Step 3 (C):** Cuss. Give Tom a run for his money by screaming at him. Make every Church in the world cringe from the beautiful wave of profanity that spews from your mouth. Don't you dare censor that shit either. Let the obscenities flow.

 **Step 4 (K):** Kick. This last step is crucial. It's the ultimate finishing blow, and if you pussy out, the bastard is more than likely to come back swinging. Now raise your foot. Do you see the point of your shoe? Good. Now ram that straight into Tom's crotch.

It's never over until you hear the asshole scream for his mother.

(Lovi! I made you lunch! Come to the table, bella~)

*Stomach growls like the furious little fuck it is*

Ugh. I still have a stronzo of my own to shake off.

(Coming bastard!)

Oh and enjoy the fucking chapter or what not.

I don't give a shit either way.

* * *

 **Devils Advodkate:**

 **Natalia's POV:** (Sunday Night)

Staggering under the weight of several moving boxes, the Belarusian groaned. It goes to say that she wasn't in the greatest of moods. Alfred was also doing a good job at pissing her off. He had been non-stop texting her all day. The American would become frantic if she didn't reply to him quick enough. He had the attention span of the goldfish. Natalia felt a buzz in the front pocket of her coat.

Natalia set down the stack of boxes onto a nearby bench. She pulled out her phone and pinched the bridge of her nose. This moron was nothing short of persistent.

 _NAT! My study group just ended!_

 _Well actually, I left a few minutes early._

 _ANYWAYS!_ _Want to meet up ;)?_

The Belarusian sighed. Currently, she was helping her brother move offices. She didn't have the luxury of spare time. Although, meeting up with Alfred was a very appealing alternative. The American was a reliable distraction during the stressful times of mid-term exams and paper deadlines.

 _I can't. I'm helping my brother move offices. Another time, perhaps?_

It didn't take long for the American to respond: _Too bad! I'm right by the history building anyways!_

 _I SAID NO! I'M BUSY._

The Belarusian started to panic. If her brother spotted her with Alfred, a fight was sure to break out. She didn't understand why, but Alfred had never taken a liking to Ivan. It wasn't often that Natalia saw the pair together, but when she did, the tension resting between them was almost unbearable. They simply stared at each other. They were silent, yet furious all the same. They held a mutual distaste for each other. It was unnerving. Their rivalry was passive. It consisted of off-hand insults here and there. But there docile dislike of each other was so much deeper than that. It was pure and unequivocal hatred.

At first, Natalia had been shocked by such a revelation. Alfred liked everyone, and Ivan had always composed himself in a diplomatic, friendly matter. Sure he was a bit intimidating at first, but once you got to know him better, Ivan really was a big softie at heart. But something about Alfred seemed to irk Ivan to no end. The Belarusian would know. Over the past year and a half she had become well acquainted with Alfred's bothersome tendencies.

The American was loud, ignorant, and insufferably obnoxious. But Natalia had never hated him for it. In fact, she held a profound amount of appreciation for him. Alfred had a heart of gold. He was overly sweet and kind. And after a year of being pursued after, the Belarusian had finally relented. She had learned to accept the American for who he was. Every had their faults. Natalia had many. And one of those faults was the fact that she had fallen in love with him.

The only problem that they faced, however, was her brother. Ivan would certainly disapprove of their relationship. They had already been dating for close to two weeks now. But Natalia wasn't ready to commit to telling her family about Alfred just yet. Perhaps avoiding the problem wasn't the most effective method in treating this delicate situation, but the Belarusian was already having a hard enough time as it was. Her relationship was very demanding. It was tiring. Alfred was her first, real boyfriend after all. But she supposed that all the effort was worth it in the end. It just meant that she had to work harder. She would work hard to compensate for her lack of experience.

"Sis? Are those boxes too heavy for you?" Natalia shoved her phone into her coat. She turned around to face her brother and shook her head. The boxes weren't weighing her down. Alfred was.

The Russian raised a curious brow. He knew that something was up. "Are you feeling sick? Your face is quite red."

"Nyet. I'm _fine_." Natalia shied away from Ivan's skeptical gaze. He knew that she didn't become flustered easily. But the Russian also knew that it was best not to pry. Natalia had a horrible habit of yelling at people. Especially whenever they asked too many questions.

With a sigh, Ivan slipped back into his office. He still had boxes of his own to pack up. "Just let me know if you need any help."

Natalia nodded. She bent over to pick up the boxes again. All the while, her mind whirred. What if Alfred hadn't listened to her? What if he came here anyways? The Belarusian grimaced. Her phone wasn't buzzing with anymore texts. And generally, that wasn't a good sign. Well, there was no point in ruminating over it. She would deal with that issue when the time came.

The time came much to quickly.

...

Natalia stretched her sore arms. She had just finished placing the stack of boxes onto a baggage cart. Thankfully, one of Ivan's teaching assistants had been there to take them off of her hands.

CRASH!

A crashing sound came from her left. Natalia turned around. Her eyes scanned over every corner of the lobby. When she found what she was looking for, a sense of dread filled up in the pit of her stomach. It was Alfred. With a wide grin on his face, the American was sprinting towards her. He pushed and shouldered his way through the crowd. This had earned him quite a few glares in the process.

"NAT!"

The crowd parted when Alfred tripped over his own shoes. He fell to the ground with a graceless smack. Despite this, he was still grinning like a fool.

Natalia rushed to his side. "You're an idiot, you know that?" she seethed. "Now leave. I told you that I was busy." Natalia made a shooing motion at him.

Alfred stood up. With Natalia's reluctant help, they brushed off the dirt that had been smudged onto his bombers jacket. "But Nat! I missed you!" the American pouted with a frown.

When the Belarusian made no indication of responding to him, Alfred leaned in closer. Their lips brushed over each other. Natalia didn't stop him. But she react either. She was still mad at him for coming in the first place.

Alfred's pout grew. If that was even possible. "Nat," he chided. "It wouldn't kill you to show some affection."

Natalia ignored this comment. Pulling away, she turned on her heels and set off in the direction of the elevator.

"HEY! WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING?!" Natalia quickened her pace. Damn American.

With her back still turned to him, the Belarusian spoke. "I told you already. I'm helping Ivan move a few things."

Alfred's mood appeared to sour at the thought. "Can't you take a break?"

"NO! ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO WHAT I'M-" Natalia was cut off mid-sentence. Strong arms hooked around her waist.

Alfred chuckled into her ear. "Come on, please," he purred. "For me?"

The Belarusian froze. After a brief moment of deliberation, she shrugged off the pestering American with a well placed elbow to the stomach. A wry grin crossed over her face. Alfred grunted with pain.

Natalia impatiently jabbed at the elevator button. _Of course_ Alfred had followed after her. She would be stupid to think that he would do otherwise.

The American appeared to be unfazed by these turn of events. He even whistled to help break the silence. He was humming along to his country's national anthem.

The Belarusian's eye twitched. She spun around to face her nonchalant looking stalker. "Perhaps you didn't hear me before..." Natalia faltered. The American's cerulean blue eyes gleamed with a mischievous light.

What was he up to?

Smiling devilishly, the American shuffled closer. He cupped a hand around his mouth. "Psssst!" he 'whispered.'

"WHAT?!" Natalia snapped. Alfred shuffled even closer. He was so close that Natalia could smell the musky scent of his sandal wood cologne. It was a soothing smell. Natalia closed her eyes. She had completely given up. Whenever Alfred wanted something, nothing would stop him from attaining it. And Natalia was no exception to that rule.

Surprised that he hadn't made to kiss her, Natalia's eyes fluttered open.

What she did see, however, made her blush. The American towered over her. He bent over to cup a hand around her cheek. "Busy my ass," he mused.

"Ugh. Why don't you just leave already?"

Alfred made a tutting sound at the back of his throat. "Hmmm, I don't think so~"

"WHY NOT?!"

Alfred laughed. "Because I didn't get to kiss you properly silly!" Leaning in so that their noses were touching, the American smiled. "Ah, that's more like it." Natalia was beginning to get annoyed. Alfred would never just kiss her. Her loved to drag things out. It drove her absolutely crazy.

"Just kiss me already, damnit!" Natalia gritted her teeth. Come to think of it, the lobby was pretty much empty of people at this point. She supposed that she could suffice for a kiss.

Alfred gloried. "Yes ma'am!" Alfred's hands teased through her hair. Natalia sighed and relaxed into the kiss. He was gentle to the touch. Their lips moved against each other. The American growled when the Belarusian gained the upper hand. Alfred became more aggressive. His tongue slipped into her mouth.

Natalia gasped. Her backside thudded against a wall. Alfred had her pinned. "A-alfred!"

In between kisses, Alfred snickered. "Don't worry, darling," he drawled. "No one's here to watch us." Natalia looked over his shoulder. The lobby was in fact very empty of people.

The Belarusian shivered. The American nipped at her ear. His hot breath tickled the hair that stood up on her neck. Her entire face burned with both embarrassment and desire.

She needed to fight back.

Natalia raised her hand. She shoved him right in the chest. Alfred stumbled backwards. Natalia wrapped her arms around his neck. She grinned and surprised him with another forceful kiss. She loved it. To be in power. To surprise and catch him off guard. She loved the way how his eyes would light up with a competitive flare. Alfred's hands trailed down to her waist.

"Feisty little devil, aren't we?" he chuckled.

"I could say the same for you," Natalia retorted. The comment only added more fuel to his fire. The American wouldn't be satisfied until he had won.

"You haven't seen nothin' yet," he hummed. Natalia grimaced. A soft moan escaped from her lips. Alfred, however, was thriving off of these reactions.

His tongue grazed over the delicate trails of her neck. Natalia balled her hands into fists. "Damn," she growled. "What's taking the elevator so damn long?"

"Is that a complaint I hear?" Natalia didn't answer. She let her actions for itself. She deepened the kiss. She was taking her time. Her tongue swirled around in his mouth. She was savoring the moment. The Belarusian eased into the American's secure embrace. She was getting tired, but Alfred wasn't about to let up any time soon. She would just have to endure his schemes for the time being.

"Giving up already?" Alfred teased.

Natalia slipped a finger under his shirt. She trailed a finger across his firm chest. She made good use of her nails while doing so. "Never."

Alfred appeared to be pleased with this answer. He shrugged. "Your choice." The Belarusian pulled away from him. The wry smile that he gave her was unsettling.

"Alfred, what are you...-"

DING!

With a growl, Alfred shoved her into the elevator. Natalia's back pressed up against the elevator's mirror. Two massive palms slammed onto the glass. They rested on both sides of her head; she was trapped.

"You're not going anywhere," he breathed. Natalia looked him right in his wild, cerulean eyes. She nearly swooned. His hair was sticking up and he was panting. But that made him all the more attractive. He was crazed with passion. Alfred let out a gravelly moan. He enraptured her with another breath taking kiss.

"Hey!" Natalia fought to take a breath. "Stop! People might see us..."

DING! Speak of the devil.

The elevator door opened. Natalia's eyes widened with pure terror. Ivan stood there. His violet eyes too were wide. But it was out of surprise. It didn't take long for them to narrow into a furious scowl. His eyes darkened. Natalia's breath hitched. Alfred, whose back was still turned to Ivan, pulled away in horror. He could see the Russian standing behind him through the elevator's mirror.

"Natalia, what are you doing?" Ivan's frigid voice swept across the elevator. His face was serene but underneath his complacent expression lay a fury so intangible that Natalia was rendered frozen. She cowered under his gaze.

Alfred scrambled to turn around. He cleared his throat. "Prof. Braginski," the American greeted the Russian with a cold, curt nod. Ivan didn't spare Alfred a glance. His eyes were fixed on Natalia the entire time. The Belarusian cursed to herself. Her brother had come to check up on her. She had taken _that_ long.

"Natalia," Ivan repeated. Natalia flinched at her brother's harsh tone. He was absolutely fuming. If they weren't in school right now...no! The Belarusian shook her head. Now was _not_ the time to be thinking about _such_ things. Her mouth parted open. She stared at her brother. It was the only thing she could do. She couldn't find her voice. She was helpless to her situation and she hated herself for it.

Ivan stared back at her. His eyes were both unfeeling and apathetic to her fear. His height appeared to grow along with his anger. Some would even say that he was glowing a deep purple. The silence was eerie. It made Natalia's blood run cold.

"SIS; I'll ask you one last time. What are you _doing_?" Ivan's sharp words sent Natalia spinning.

"I...I," the Belarusian stammered. She deadpanned. Her behavior at the moment was hopelessly pathetic. She _needed_ to own up to her actions.

 _Do something damnit!_

Ivan's hands began to shake. "Get out of the elevator; now," he commanded. Natalia opened her mouth in protest. Ivan held up a gloved hand. She was silenced in one fell swoop.

"NOW!"

Alfred grabbed Natalia's hand. "How 'bout she goes wherever the hell she wants to?" The American challenged the Russian in a patronizing tone.

Ivan sent a chilling glare in Alfred's direction. The two men glared at each other. Their eyes narrowed. They were taunting and daring for the other to make the first move. Not a word was said. The two men were testing each other. It was a cold, silent stare down. The inevitability of a fight spurred Natalia into action.

Natalia let go of Alfred's hand, albeit reluctantly. She walked out of the elevator and took up a place beside her brother. Alfred flashed her a hurt look of betrayal.

Natalia glanced back at him and smiled. " _I'll see you later_ ," she mouthed. Natalia didn't even bother to look at Ivan. Ivan rarely lost his temper, but when he did, it was best to keep as far away from him as possible. Compliance was her only feasible option.

Ivan turned on his heels. He motioned for Natalia to follow. His shoulders were stiff and his white scarf billowed behind him. He trudged forward and the Belarusian was quick to trail after him. She struggled to keep up with him. His long strides easily outpaced her. Only until they were halfway down the hallway did Alfred usher out his retaliation.

"I LOVE YOU NATALIA BRAGINSKI!" the American bellowed.

A wry smile played onto the Belarusian's face.

 _I love you too, you big idiot_.

* * *

 **Alfred's POV:**

Alfred cursed under his breath. He stomped down the cobble-stoned path that led straight to the Gaul dorm building. To hell with Braginski! So what if Natalia was his sister? She was her own person, god damnit! She wasn't just a mere robot that he could control. And to make it all worse, Alfred had _let_ Natalia go off with _that_ Russian demon. He knew that intervening would have only made things worse, but that didn't settle his worries in the slightest.

 _Damn that possessive psychopath._

The American took a deep breath. It was pointless to focus on the negative. Besides, it wasn't like Natalia couldn't fend for herself. Because she was more than capable of dealing with her brother. Alfred chuckled at such a thought. What could he say? His girl had a rebellious streak to her.

 _Yeah, she'll be fine._

As of now, Alfred was on his way to visit Maddie. He hadn't seen much of her as of late and a visit to his darling baby sister was long over due. Even if it was late at night. Surely she wouldn't mind.

He was now walking through the dimly lit corridors of the dorm. The American was humming to himself as usual.

An ear piercing shriek caused him to stop dead in his tracks. Alfred sprinted towards the source of the noise. His concern grew as he tried to pinpoint where the sound had come from.

A bang echoed farther down the hallway.

Maddie's apartment was located at the end of the hallway.

The American stopped to stand in front of his sister's front door. Panting, Alfred reached into his coat pocket to pull out the spare key that Maddie had given to him. Another bang echoed inside the apartment. He fumbled to open the door. The lock clicked and Alfred barged into the apartment. He wildly looked around the room. He didn't detect any immediate source of danger. Faint sobbing echoed from his left. Alfred turned around; someone was in the kitchen.

A figure in a familiar red plaid shirt lay hunched over on the ground. A wave of long blonde hair covered their face. Their chest shook with uncontrollable fits of sobs.

Alfred's heart lurched with unease. "Maddie?" he asked tentatively.

Maddie sat up straight. She stared at him through tear streaked eyes. Her face was red from crying and mascara was running down her pallid face in clumps.

"How's it going Kiddo?" Alfred said nervously. He sat next to her on the ground. "Rough day?"

Maddie sniffed and wiped at her eyes. "I guess you could say that," she remarked bitterly. Alfred draped an arm around her shoulders. He also took to grabbing her hand. He gave it a gentle squeeze. He was letting his sister catch her breath. At this point, she had stopped crying. But she still nevertheless looked miserable. More so than Alfred had ever seen her look before. It was a painful sight to see.

He didn't know what to do or how to comfort her. Maddie didn't get upset very often. Alfred found himself at a loss for words. She was usually so composed and reserved. She kept to herself and hardly ever spoke out. She had always feared that others would view her as a burden. She had _always_ put others ahead of herself. And it was this type of selflessness that prevented Maddie from speaking her mind. It was admirable yet quite disheartening at the same time. It pained Alfred to think about how long she had maintained her silence and kept her suffering a secret.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Maddie shook her head. She hid behind her hair again. Alfred inhaled sharply. She was worn down, debilitated to the point where she was unable to speak. Not only did this sicken Alfred, but it also angered him as well. She was hurting and there was nothing that he could do about it.

Some big brother he was.

"Just tell me whose ass to kick and I'll-"

Maddie raised a shaky hand to silence him. "It's not their fault," she paused. She was trying her best to hold back her tears. "I'm just an idiot. There's nothing much that you can do about that."

"Excuse you?!" Alfred growled. "Maddie don't you dare ever say that, you hear me? You are so much better than that. And for fucks sakes stop holding back your tears. You're not fooling anyone. It's OK to cry," Alfred choked on his words.

"It's OK to cry, " he repeated to her in a dazed whisper. But Maddie wasn't listening to him. She was completely numb to his words and rigid in his grasp. She stared at him with blank eyes.

Alfred sighed. It was time to pick up the pieces. He pulled out a kleenex from his coat pocket. "Here. Let's get that gunk off your face." Alfred started patting at her cheeks.

Maddie whimpered. Alfred froze. His hand lowered to his side.

"A-Alfred!" Maddie wailed. She sniffled as she clutched onto his jacket for support.

Alfred smoothed a hand over the back of her head. "Shhhh," he cooed. "Breathe for a minute, will ya?" He held onto his sister while she sobbed into his chest. Eventually, her sniffles died down.

Alfred breathed out of relief. "Are you ready to talk about it now?" Maddie nodded and Alfred immediately fell silent.

After she recounted her story to him, Maddie collapsed into Alfred's chest again. She was trembling.

Alfred fumed. "I'll kill him!" he seethed. "Who does he think he is leading on girls like that?! WHAT AN ASSHOLE!"

"NO! It's not like that at all!" Maddie protested. "Besides, you don't even know him!"

"YES I DO!" Alfred snarled. "He's that white-haired douchebag who hangs around with Cheya, right?"

"Y-yeah, but still!" Maddie sniffed. "Please, he doesn't know," she begged. "You'll only make things worse. It's fine, really. I'll just have to move on." Her lips quivered as she spoke. Something about her mannerisms made Alfred suspicious. The guilty look on her face said it all; Maddie wasn't telling him everything. He considered asking her about it, but in the end he opted to give her the benefit of the doubt.

He could always ask her about it later.

"Oh fine," Alfred relented. He stood up and held out his hand for her to take. "Now up you go." Alfred pulled her to her feet. He ushered her forward. "Let's get you washed up. A hot shower is exactly what you need!"

Maddie's shoulders slumped into a reluctant slouch. "Fine." She trudged halfway up the staircase.

The Canadian paused when a truly disturbing thought crossed her mind.

"Try not to kill anyone while I'm gone," she sniffed.

"NO PROMISES!" Alfred barked.

Maddie flinched. "Typical Alfred," she muttered.

"WHAT WAS THAT? I DON'T HEAR ANY WATER RUNNING."

Maddie snorted. "I'm going, I'm going. _Tabarnak_ , you don't have to break my eardrums."

* * *

 **Gilbert's POV:**

Gilbert shoved his way out of the Vargas' apartment. He didn't hesitate to knock on Maddie's door. A very concerned Lovina had interrupted his secret chat with Antonio not too long ago. Apparently, Maddie had left the apartment crying. The German was on edge. He didn't know why, but something in his gut made him feel strained. What could have possibly made the sweet Canadian cry?

"Maddie! Open up! It's Gilbert!" he cried out.

"SHE'S BUSY! A deep voice on the other end of the door shouted back.

Gilbert bit his tongue. "AND YOU ARE?"

The apartment door opened. Gilbert stood to face a very angry looking Alfred (?!). Burning, cerulean blue eyes confronted confused, crimson ones.

The American's jaw was set into a tight grimace. "What do you want?" he growled.

"Alfred?! What the fuck?! What are doing here? Gilbert snapped back.

"I'm her brother, that's why!"

Gilbert couldn't hope to mask his surprise. He honestly hadn't been expecting that. The two siblings were polar opposites. Where Maddie was quiet, sweet, and charming, Alfred was loud, rude and disagreeable. It was quite the revelation. If he hadn't been so worried, Gilbert would have been completely floored.

"Now get lost! We're busy!'"

Gilbert grit his teeth. He didn't have time for this. Maddie was hurting and she needed him. Ok. Maybe she didn't need him specifically, but he still wanted to make sure that she was alright. She was one of his close friends, after all.

"Look, I'm not here to cause any trouble..." SMACK! Alfred attempted to shut the door; Gilbert stuck out his foot.

The German cleared his throat. "AHEM! As I was saying, if I could speak to Maddie that would be _just lovely_ ," he grunted with a thick amount of sarcasm.

"Alfred? Who's at the door?"

Alfred turned around. "Don't worry about it Mads! I'm taking care of it!"

Gilbert scowled. He didn't appreciate being referred to as an it. "MADDIE?!" he bellowed. "It's Gilbert. Can you come here please?"

The German ignored the furious look that the American was currently smelting him with.

 _Tough shit asshole._

Gilbert craned his neck to look over Alfred's shoulders. And sure enough, there she was. Maddie padded towards the door in her maple leaf slippers. She was wearing a red, fluffy bathrobe and her hair was wrapped into a messy looking bun.

" _Move_ Alfred," she ordered. Alfred scoffed and moved to the side. But his eyes never wavered in their glaring of Gilbert.

Maddie cleared her throat. "Alfred, I'd like to speak to him _alone_ ; if you don't mind." Her firm voice made her question come off as a demand.

"B-BUT!"

"NOW!" she snarled. With one last dirty look aimed at a very smug looking Gilbert, Alfred slumped his shoulders and trudged back into the apartment.

Maddie rolled her eyes. She walked out into the hallway and shut the door behind her.

"What's up his ass?" Gilbert remarked.

Maddie waved off his comment with another eye roll. "He can be overprotective at times. I've learned to deal with it." Gilbert stared at Maddie. She pursed her lips. She wouldn't look him in the eye and she kept fidgeting with her hands. Her eyes were fixed on the ground.

She spoke in a soft whisper. "So, you wanted to speak to me about something?"

"Ja...I did. Lovina said that you left the apartment looking..." Gilbert faltered. Maddie's face turned red. She was definitely embarrassed. But something about her reaction indicated something that was much different than her typical flustered behaviour. The Canadian almost looked guilty.

"Upset," he finished.

"O-oh," Maddie stammered. Gilbert nodded. "Well, I'm _fine_ now if it's any consolation. It wasn't something that you should worry yourself about." Her hands trembled. It was clear to Gilbert that she was not in fact _fine._

"Alright. I believe you. Gute nacht, Maddie." Gilbert grinned to mask his disappointment. What he really wanted was for Maddie to confide in him. But perhaps that was expecting too much of her. They hadn't been friends for that long. And the last thing that he wanted to do was to make her feel uncomfortable. In the end, Gilbert decided to let the topic drop. It wasn't his place to pry.

Maddie's lips curled into a shy smile. "Good night." Her thin frame trembled and shook with uncertainty. It became unbearable for the German to watch. His arms seemed to move on their own, and before he knew it, Gilbert had pulled her into a hug. He winced when she quivered under his grasp.

"You did good today, you know that?"

"No thanks to you. You just about gave me a heart attack."

Gilbert pulled away. "Kesesese. Well, I should probably get going now. It's getting late." He began to walk away.

"Oh and Maddie?" the German called over his shoulder. "I'm really glad that we're friends."

"Yeah," the Canadian murmured. "Friends."

* * *

 **Maddie's POV:**

Maddie felt her chest constrict. Gilbert was hugging her. She was betraying every single one of her emotions by doing this. But that didn't stop her from hugging him back. It hurt. It hurt so damned much. She had let the selfishness of her desires take over.

"You did good today, you know that?" Gilbert murmured into her air. Maddie shivered.

She was disgusted by the fact that she was secretly taking pleasure in this. It made her heart lurch painfully. Life was cruel. Her current indulgence had only intensified the vulnerability of her feelings. She felt hopeless and suffocated. These feelings twisted and ate away at her conscience. She was drowning, submerged in her own melancholy. She was numb to any pain.

Maddie's body continued to tremor. She let out a shaky sigh. "No thanks to you. You just about gave me a heart attack." Literally. Maddie struggled to hold herself together. She closed her eyes. She knew that she was one crack away from breaking down entirely. Never before had she felt this vulnerable...this frightened.

The Canadian had experienced her fair share of low moments, but never before had she ever felt this pathetic.

Gilbert pulled away. "Kesesese. Well, I should probably get going now. It's getting late." He began to walk away.

Maddie yearned for the warmth of his embrace. She wanted to cry out. To scream at him. To tell him how she really felt. But she knew that it would all be pointless in the end. For Gilbert loved someone else.

And as always, Maddie Williams was pushed to the side. But it was at times like this that Maddie would have welcomed her invisibility with open arms. She didn't want to experience the pain and disappointment of getting attached to someone again. She was tired of being trampled upon. Perhaps being ignored wasn't that bad after all. At least then she would have been spared from the torture of unrealistic hopes and desires.

"Oh and Maddie? I'm really glad that we're friends."

Perfect. Just what she needed. Another crushing blow to her self-worth. "Yeah," Maddie murmured. Tears welled up in her eyes once more. "Friends."

 _You try to get others to notice me, yet you don't even notice me yourself. You arrogant fool. Don't you realize how much I love you?_

* * *

 **Cheya's POV:** (Monday)

I grabbed my bag and rushed to catch up with Alfred. When I reached him at the door, however, something truly odd happened. Arthur spoke directly to me. Typically, whenever we were in class he didn't give me the light of day. Of course, this was only done to minimize any possible suspicion. So naturally, I did my best to play my part as well. I limited my participation in class and I too hardly ever glanced at Arthur. Which was hard because quite often enough I could feel him staring at me when I wasn't looking.

"Miss Bonnefoy? Would you mind sparing me a few minutes of your time? I would like to discuss something with you."

I cocked my head to the side. An equally confused Alfred gave Arthur an incredulous look. "U-um...yeah sure," I squeaked. My eyes darted around the classroom. The last of the stragglers were just making their way out of the classroom.

Alfred tapped me on the shoulder. "Be careful," he warned.

I nodded my head. "Of course," I huffed. Whatever Arthur wanted to talk to me about, it must have been pretty damn important. This meeting was almost too risky. We were in the History building for God's sake! Our privacy was limited and the possibility of an interruption was much too high for my comfort.

Arthur walked over to shut the classroom door. He cleared his throat. "I know that what we're doing here is stupid and reckless, but.." the Briton faltered when I aimed a skeptical glare in his direction.

"Please, just bear with me here."

I raised a brow in curiosity. "Alright. I trust you." I walked over to sit on top of his desk. I gave him a quick one over. "Your tie's on backwards," I mused.

Arthur scoffed as he fumbled to fix the position of his crimson red tie. He waved off my comment with an irritated eye roll. The black dress shirt that he wore fit his chest snugly. It took every bit of my willpower not to go over there and kiss every last bit of sanity out of him. I loved it when he dressed up. Arthur smirked at me. The smug bastard knew that I was admiring him.

I blushed. The Briton enlightened me with a playful wink.

"Arthur, I have another class to get to," I groaned. "If you have something to say, then say it." Arthur didn't roll his eyes this time. A serious expression crossed over his face. He leaned on the desk beside me.

"Fine, I'll be sure to make it quick..."

He fell silent. I nudged my shoulders against his. This gave him the prompt to continue.

"I think that we should wait until the semester ends before we take this relationship any farther...I mean, er, just to be safe." Arthur flinched. I shed him with a questioning glare.

"Or perhaps we could slow things down?...I just...bloody hell! I don't know anymore!" he spluttered. The Briton spoke so fast that it took me a moment to truly absorb what he had just said.

I held my breath. "So what you're trying to say is that you don't want to date me anymore?" The room started to spin. My face burned.

Arthur cupped a hand to my face. I angrily swatted it away. "Damnit Arthur," I growled. "I'm sick of playing this stupid game of yours-"

"NO! It's not like that at all! It's just..." Arthur balled his hands into fists.

"IT'S JUST WHAT?" I demanded. He wouldn't even look at me.

"Forget it," he muttered. "You wouldn't understand."

"ARTHUR! I DON'T SPEAK RIDDLE," I screamed. "JUST TELL ME ALREADY, DAMNIT!" I slammed my hand against the desk. Tears streamed down my cheeks.

I grit my teeth.

I needed to get out of there.

"I see how it is. _Fine_. Whatever." I slapped my bag over my shoulder and began to walk away. I stopped at the door. "I knew that this was a mistake."

"Cheya! Wait! Please," Arthur called out. He stumbled after me. But I had already walked out into the hallway.

Whatever he had to say could go to hell for all I cared.

* * *

 **Thanks to** : Guest, Guest, and Red-Hot Habanero for reviewing the last chapter!

And thus, the drama is beginning to unfold~!


	19. Tater Gott

**Tater Gott:**

 **Lovina's POV:**

Lovina groaned and cupped both hands over her ears. Unlike some people, she was actually using the library for its intended purpose; to fucking study. Feli was sitting across the table from her. The bitch smiled to herself. Her giggles were never ending. Apparently she was skyping with the boy that she had met the other day. Whatever. She was still loud and annoying as fuck. Lovina had half the mind to shove a pencil down her throat.

Maybe if they weren't in public...

"Ve! Did you miss me?" Feli batted her lashes and pursed her lips. Barf. Lovina gave her sorella a quick, disapproving one over. Feli was wearing a nude, semi-see through spaghetti top. Her long copper curls were swept over one shoulder. This was all done on purpose, of course. If Feli's chest popped out any further you could use it as a fucking air bag. Those suckers bounced too.

Lovina scowled and went back to writing her notes. She was still eavesdropping on Feli's conversation, however. She was curious about this mystery bastard. But she knew that she had to be discreet about it. If Feli caught her listening, then Lovina would never hear the end of it. Feli was always looking for different things to tease her about. Feli especially liked to tease Lovina about her caring nature. And although this was true, Lovina wasn't prepared to deal with another round of obnoxious squealing. For the time being she would just have to keep to herself. Lovina's brows twitched in irritation. Her entire life consisted of dealing with morons and idiots alike.

Speaking of idiots; she was currently suffering from a massive headache because of a certain moronic Spaniard. Apparently ' _No, don't come_ ' means ' _Come_ ' in idiot. Seriously though. There she was preparing her ingredients on a cutting board when all of a sudden a pebble was thrown against a nearby window. And guess fucking what? It was the moron himself. Antonio had climbed up and onto the tree resting right outside the classroom window; he had come to watch her perform her cooking exam. And if that wasn't bad and embarrassing enough already, Antonio had brought Gilbert along with him too. Of all fucking people. What's more, they cheered her on the entire time. And it was because of them that Lovina had nearly failed her exam. Apparently swearing at vegetables went against the 'Golden Rules' of the kitchen.

"Oh Luddy! I forgot to ask you! What's your favourite color?" Lovina's head snapped up. She could focus on her hopeless love life at a later time. She had her sorella's innocence to protect.

Lovina leaned in closer to hear better.

A wide grin played onto Feli's face. "Green, huh?" she purred. "Got it!"

Feli looked up to meet Lovina's skeptical expression. "Luddy? Would you like to meet Vina?" Lovina avoided making eye contact with her sorella. But the damage had already been done. Before Lovina knew it, Feli had already moved to sit next to her.

"Just a minute," Feli muttered. She then widened the webcam so that they were both in the shot. "There we go~!"

Feli squeezed in closer to Lovina. The skype screen popped up and Lovina was confronted with a very awkward looking brick. She wasn't even exaggerating. The boy was tall, so tall that he had to hunch over just so that he could be seen in the webcam. He had slicked back blond hair and piercing blue eyes, eyes which were strategically fixed onto the desk that he was sitting at.

"Ludwig Beilschmidt," the boy gave Lovina a curt, albeit nervous nod. "It's very nice to meet you, er, Lovina. Feliciana's told me a lot about you."

Lovina's eyes twitched. Feli spared her a worried look. "S-sorella? Aren't you going to say something?"

"Beilschmidt, huh?" Lovina leaned closer to the webcam. She wanted the bastard to view her scowl in high definition.

"Is there any chance that you're related to Gilbert Beilschmidt?" Ludwig fell silent, his face pale. Feli inhaled sharply.

The air head must have forgotten about her hatred for the albino potato. Either that, or she was just really, _really_ stupid.

"J-ja, why do you ask?" the German stuttered, looking flustered as he bravely attempted to establish eye contact with the other, less pleasant Vargas twin.

"FUCK!" Lovina cursed. "ANOTHER POTATO BASTARD?! ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!"

Feli placed a hand on Lovina's forearm. Lovina shrugged it off with ease."Hands off Feli!" she raged. "Listen up you stupid kraut! If you do _anything_ to hurt my sorella I'll fucking-"

"-MMMPH!"

Two tanned hands cupped themselves around Lovina's eyes, blinding her. She fell silent. She was too angry for words. How many FUCKING times did she have to tell the bastard NOT to do that?! She wasn't a toddler that ogled and drooled at the thought of playing peek a boo. But then again, his hands were warm. And they did smell nice. CHIGI! FOCUS LOVINA; GOD DAMNIT!

"Hola Lovi! Feli! Who are you guys talking to?" Antonio pulled up a chair and sat down. His eyes widened with delight when he recognized a very solemn looking Ludwig on the computer screen.

The Spaniard spoke rapidly. "Ludwig! How have you been?! Wow! You've grown even bigger ( _Bigger?!_ ) since the last time that I saw you!" he chirped. Lovina deadpanned. It all made sense now. The tomato, albino, and (blank insult) bastards all knew each other. Lovina's brows furrowed. She needed to come up with a demeaning nickname for Ludwig. 'Other potato bastard' just wouldn't suffice. It didn't have the same ring to it.

Ludwig cleared his throat. A look of relief crossed over his face. It was nice change from being screamed at, that's for sure. "Antonio," he greeted. "It's nice to see you. Hopefully my brother hasn't given you too much trouble."

"Oh no, not at all~!"

Lovina was feeling very neglected and ignored. It was infuriating.

"HELLO?! I'M RIGHT FUCKING HERE!" Lovina screeched. Several people in the room shushed her.

Lovina reluctantly lowered her voice to a deadly whisper. Ludwig gulped under her gaze. "Oi! I still haven't decided if I like you yet."

"Give him a chance sorella," Feli swooned. Ludwig blushed. Lovina had to stifle a gag. "Doesn't he look like an angel?"

Lovina supposed that Feli was referring to the kraut's fair hair and pale skin tone. But what she saw was very different. To Lovina, Ludwig was an over-sized, perverted oaf. The bastard was probably just looking to get under Feli's skirt. Lovina winced when she imagined that very image.

...

 _"Ve! Luddy, I'm craving some wurst for dinner!"_

 _*Bastardly German chuckle* "How would you like it?"_

 _*Winky face* "To go would be nice, hehe.~"_

 _..._

CHIGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGI!

Lovina shook her head. Her vision started to spin. She clutched onto Antonio's arm for support. Said Spaniard yelped when her nails began to puncture his skin. "Eheheh, Lovi? You're cutting off the circulation in my arm," he winced.

Lovina let go of his arm. She returned to glaring at Ludwig. "Alright 'Luddy', if that's even your _real_ name. I have some questions for you."

"I suppose that's fair," Ludwig woefully agreed. Something about his tone of voice irritated Lovina. The bastard was patronizing her. It was as if he was talking down to a bratty child who couldn't control their temper.

"What are your intentions with my sister?" Lovina had to do it. She had ripped off the bandage and exposed the wound. She wanted to see how the younger potato would react.

Feli gave the potato an encouraging smile. Lovina grimaced. She didn't like how her sorella looked at him. She looked to him as if he were a God. Feli had been entranced; tricked; fooled. Lovina knew that she had to act fast. No way in hell would she ever let her sorella fall for that potato's bastardly schemes.

"Um...well. I haven't known her for that long, but I am quite fond of her."

Antonio gave Ludwig his nod of approval. The Spaniard was very well acquainted with the limits of the Italian's patience. So far, the German was treading well.

"That didn't answer my question, Bricktato."

"Bricktato?"

"You look like a brick and potato's love child," Lovina waved off Ludwig's confusion with an irritated flick of the hand. She didn't have to explain herself to the bastard. He should have figured it out for himself.

Antonio leaned back into his chair. He chuckled to himself. It was very amusing for him to watch Lovina carry out her interrogations. "Easy Lovi," he whispered. "Think of Feli."

Feli pressed her lips into a sour looking pout. "Vina!" she scolded. "Be nice. You don't see me speaking to Tonio like that!"

Lovina relented. "Ugh, fine. So 'Ludwig'," the pen in Lovina's hand clicked menacingly. "What are your life plans? How will you be able to support my sorella when you two move out together?"

Ludwig looked flabbergasted. "I just met her! How the hell would I know that?" Antonio's lips parted open into an O.

Lovina heard something snap. Blue ink trickled down her wrist. Huh? Since when was she holding onto a pen?

Feli let out a frightened squeak. The entire room grew silent. You could hear a pin drop. But if you listened carefully, like really fucking carefully, you could hear Lovina's sanity snap in two.

She decided that she hated the bastard's guts.

"WELL EXCUSE ME IF I CARE ABOUT MY SORELLA'S FUTURE," Lovina huffed indignantly. Antonio interrupted her before she could issue out another string of death threats.

Antonio hooked both arms under Lovina's armpits and heaved her away from the ogling couple. Both Ludwig and Feli were terrified. The German's face had drained itself from all colour. Not even distance could protect him from Lovina's wrath.

"Let go of me, you bastard," Lovina hissed but to no avail. Antonio had a firm grip on her elbow, and despite her struggling, Lovina was unable to free herself.

"Where are you taking me?!" she demanded. Lovina had given up at this point. She was reluctantly allowing herself to be towed along by the cheery Spaniard.

Antonio grinned. He raised a finger to poke Lovina in her puffed up cheek. "We're getting you some food."

"Why?"

"You become cranky when you haven't had anything to eat."

 _SMACK!_

"OW! See! This is exactly what I mean!" the Spaniard wailed.

* * *

 **Arthur's POV:**

Arthur paced back and forth across the front of the auditorium. A handful of students were making full use of the three hour time limit. Cheya included. Arthur knew better than to walk anywhere near her side of the room. The French was absolutely furious with him. It had been exactly one day since they had had their fight. And during this time, Arthur had texted her non-stop. He apologized to her over and over again. But alas, his texts went ignored.

The Briton ducked his head. Bloody hell. She had just caught him staring at her again. His face flushed. Looking for a quick excuse to distract himself, Arthur raised his wrist. He pretended to fix the time on his watch. An agonizing minute passed by. Warily, Arthur lifted his gaze. Cheya had gone back to writing her paper; thankfully.

Someone tapped Arthur on the shoulder, causing him to jump with a start. "Mr. Kirkland?"

It was Kiku, impassive and neutral as always.

"A student in section C is raising their hand."

"R-right, I'll be right over."

….

Arthur didn't even look up when he spoke. "Student identification please."the Briton held out his hand.

The student shoved their booklet onto the desk. Arthur's eyes flashed with irritation. He looked up and when he realized who the person was, his anger quickly turned into embarrassment. Arthur swallowed deeply. He struggled to regain his composure.

"O-oh, Miss Bonnefoy," the Briton stammered guiltily. "I hope that the midterm went well."

Cheya sighed haughtily. "The midterm is the least of my worries," she growled.

Arthur opened his mouth to say something, anything, but Cheya had already turned her back to him. She stormed towards the exit. Her pig tails swished behind her.

SLAM!

The French shouldered open the door.

The only thing that the Briton could do was watch.

* * *

 **Cheya's POV:**

I walked up to the desk where Arthur was sitting at and crossed my arms. The bastard's head was down. Arthur held out his hand. "Student identification please," he murmured.

I shoved my paper in front of him. Arthur inhaled sharply. "O-Oh. Miss Bonnefoy. I hope that the midterm went well." He shied under my gaze and chuckled nervously. I grit my teeth. The guy had some nerve. He had no problem texting me, but as soon as I confronted him face to face, he turned into a stumbling coward.

And don't think that I didn't notice him staring at me earlier either. Because I did. It was his fault that it took me so long to complete the damned midterm in the first place. I could hardly concentrate, let alone form a coherent thought without snapping my pencil in two.

"The midterm is the least of my worries," I growled.

Arthur's mouth parted open. I didn't give him a chance to speak. I spun on my heels and left.

Fuck him and his half ass apologies.

…..

I cupped my hands and splashed some water onto my face. "Merde, was that test ever long!" I groaned. I looked at myself in the bathroom mirror and groaned again. I looked like something straight out of a horror movie. My face was pale, there were dark bags under my eyes, and my lips were chapped. It truly was a painful sight to look at.

The midterm ran from seven to ten pm at night; I hadn't bothered to put any effort in my appearance. I was wearing one of Maddie's many red hoodies, and with such little spare time during this busy exam period, I had completely absolved from putting on any make up.

I walked out of the bathroom. I trudged down the dimly lit hallway. Hardly anyone was there, so it was only natural for me to jump when I heard a faint knocking sound to my left.

"Hello?" I asked. My eyes darted around every corner of the hallway. But no one was there?

No answer.

I shrugged. Perhaps I was just hearing things. I continued to walk forward. I jumped again. The knocking sound was much louder this time. I was starting to get worried. I quickened my pace.

I pulled out my phone. I could never be too safe, especially when it was this late at night.

KNOCK!

"It's OK Cheya," I whispered to myself. "You're just hearing things. That's what sleep deprivation does to you...eheh."

I broke out into a shaky fit of nervous giggles.

Another bang interrupted my train of thought.

KNOCK!

Either the sounds were getting louder or I was walking towards the source of the banging.

KNOCK!

I was now able to trace the sound. It was coming from a nearby janitor's closet. "Hello? Is anyone there?" I asked again.

No answer.

I sighed and turned around. "Maybe I'm just imagining things." The door creaked open. A pale hand cupped itself around my mouth. Pure terror swept over my body. I froze. I felt a scream rise up in the pit of my throat. But before I could do anything, I was dragged into the closet. I kicked, screamed, and ushered muffled grunts of protest.

"MMMMPH!" I screamed.

The door shut and my captor let go of me.

I spun on my heels and raised my hands into a defensive stance. "HIYAH!" I karate kicked the air. "YOU MESSED WITH THE WRONG PERSON MOTHER FUCKER! I HAVE A BLACK BELT IN-"

I faltered when my captor flicked on the lights. They stifled an annoyed sigh. "Would you just shut up and listen?"

I backed up into a shelf of cleaning products. The shelf wobbled dangerously. "A-Arthur?!" I choked. Even with the lights on, the room was still considerably dark. I squinted. Yup. I could make out a pair of cat-like green eyes and a mop of tousled blond hair.

Arthur rolled his eyes. "The one and only." I didn't hesitate. I reached for the door handle, but he must have already anticipated this. Arthur grabbed onto my wrist before I could enact my escape.

"I'm sorry that I had to do this under such, er, awkward circumstances, but you have left me with no other choice-"

Something inside me snapped.

"MAYBE IF YOU WEREN'T SUCH AN ASSHAT THIS WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED IN THE FIRST PLACE!" I crossed my arms and scowled. The determined look in Arthur's eyes told me that I wasn't leaving this closest anytime soon.

The Briton pulled me closer. I shrugged off his hand. "I'm not going to hurt you," he pouted.

I turned my head to the side. "You've done far worse than that," I snorted.

Arthur's lips quivered when he spoke. "You speak as if I don't care about you. Is that what you really think of me?" he asked.

I blushed and averted my gaze to the ground. "I honestly don't know what to think of you," I mumbled. "I care about you Arthur, I really do, but sometimes I have to question your commitment to this relationship."

Arthur appeared to be furious at this comment. His eyes flickered with a dangerous light and his jaw was clenched into a tight, hard-locked grimace. "COMMITMENT?!" he seethed.

"I'll show you commitment!" The Briton snarled.

His lips were on mine in an instant. My gasp was drowned out by the kiss. And before I knew it, my legs were wrapped around his hips. With ease, Arthur lifted me into the air. He set me down onto a nearby cleaning shelf. And then it was back to kissing. His lips aggressively moved against mine. Each grunt of his sent shivers up my spine. He was desperate and the passion of this moment made me long for something more. It was infuriating. I hated how he made me feel like this. I hated giving in, but damnit, I couldn't help it. His lips were just too tempting for me to refuse.

My hands knotted in his hair. Arthur's hands trailed over the small of my back. I pulled away and looked down into his crazed green eyes. His lips curled into a cocky grin. I shivered.

"So what now? Is this the only place that we can be seen together?" I grumbled.

"For the love of God woman! Do you ever shut up?!" I pouted. Arthur pulled me into a hug. His hands were trembling. His breathing was still ragged from our kiss. Hot breath tickled my neck and collar bone. My chest swelled with a new found desire. I was keeling under the weight of our embrace. He was just so warm...so comforting...so wrong. NO. This wasn't right. This needed to stop.

"Arthur," I whimpered. I shoved him in the chest. He stumbled backwards. "Please, stop."

I bowed my head and jumped down from the shelf. "This is ridiculous," I muttered. "I refuse to be there at your beckoning call. Either you have feelings for me or you don't."

No answer.

I shuffled to open the door.

"Kiku knows!" Arthur blurted out.

I span around. "Pardon me?"

Arthur ran a nervous hand through his hair. "Kiku took a photo of us together...I don't know how or when but...he knows. About everything."

My knees wobbled. I leaned against the door for support. "You've got to be kidding me," I breathed. The entire world began to spin. I quickly found myself gasping for air.

"W-what are we going to do?!"

Arthur cupped a warm hand to my face. "Absolutely nothing love," he murmured. "He told me that he wouldn't say anything. But this is why I had my doubts. What we're doing is dangerous. I don't give a fuck about what happens to me, but you, that's another story."

SLAP!

"WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT FOR?!" Arthur hissed, clutching a hand to his sore cheek.

I stomped my foot against the ground. "Enough!" I quipped. "You matter just as much as I do! A relationship involves two people, not one. Tch! You can be such a dumbass!"

Arthur rolled his eyes and sighed. "I suppose that you're right. We'll just have to be more careful from here on out."

"Of course I'm right! Now c'mere," I demanded. I grabbed Arthur's tie and pulled him down to eye level. "Don't you dare scare me like that again."

The Briton chuckled. I glared at him. "I'm serious! I'll kick your ass next time," I warned.

Arthur shed me with a mischievous looking smirk. "I'm sure that I'll be able to handle whatever a 100-pound girl has to throw my way."

"Well you better be!" I cried. Arthur groaned. I puffed up my chest for dramatic flare. "You are my booface after all," I cooed.

Arthur's face screamed bloody murder.

"I THOUGHT WE AGREED THAT YOU WOULDN'T REFER TO ME WITH THAT WRETCHED NICKNAME!"

"And I thought we agreed that you would tweeze those wretched caterpillars on your face, but we can't always get what we want now can we?"

"Start running."

"W-why?"

"I'm about to set fire to your entire poptarts stash."

"HAVE YOU NO HEART MR. KIRKLAND? AT LEAST HAVE MERCY ON THE CINNAMON ONES."

"I'LL BURN THOSE FIRST."

"AND THE COOKIE DOUGH ONES?"

"THOSE TOO."

" _MERDE_!"

* * *

 **Maddie's POV:**

The only thing that lit up the Canadian's room was the faint light coming from her laptop's screen. She sat crossed legged on her bed and hugged her stuffed polar bear, otherwise known as Kuma, to her chest. She was currently engaged in a romantic movie marathon.

"Such bullshit!" Maddie muttered to herself. Rolling her eyes, Maddie raised another spoonful of maple syrup to her lips. The sugary substance helped numb the pain. It had always been a reliable comfort food for her. It took her a lot of restraint not to drink it straight from the bottle.

KNOCK! KNOCK!

"Maddie? Can I come in?" The Canadian sighed and gave her grunt of approval. She couldn't be bothered to talk to anyone right now. She was too busy making passive aggressive comments about the awful movie that she was currently watching. Seriously though. No airports are ever _that_ empty. The chances of two people finding each other before their partner's plane leaves is next to none. Things like that just didn't happen. And where was the security for maple sakes?!

Cheya walked into the room and flicked on the light switch. Maddie flinched. She burrowed further into her blanket cocoon. The light was still bright, but at least the blanket spared her from being blinded. "Tsk! TsK! Mon Amie. Drinking maple syrup from the bottle? Watching romance movies instead of studying? What happened?" Cheya plopped herself onto the foot of the bed.

"Everything alright in Maple Land?" the French mused, tugging at the Canadian's blanket.

Maddie scowled. She made a grab for the blanket. "Everything was fine until you came!" She snapped. Maddie's eyes widened at the harshness of her tone. She had let her jealousy get the best of her. Cheya had done nothing to deserve such rude treatment. And although it would be tough, Maddie knew that it was best to push her resentment aside.

"U-um...sorry! I guess I'm just tired, eh?" Maddie mumbled. She averted her gaze away from the French's concerned gaze.

Cheya gave Maddie a startled look. "Uh-oh, something's definitely wrong," she whispered. Maddie pretended to ignore her.

The French's phone buzzed. When she pulled out her phone, she merely rolled her eyes and shoved it back into her pocket.

The suspension was killing Maddie. "Who is it?" she asked.

Cheya waved her hand about in a nonchalant manner. "Ah, it's just Gilbert. I'll answer him in the morning," she chuckled nervously. Maddie's brows furrowed in concentration. She was able to pick up on the subtle hints of Cheya's emotional distress. The French was biting her lip. Her face a pink tinge to it as well.

"Why not answer him now?" Maddie bitterly retorted. She grit her teeth and put on a fake smile. "Lord knows what happens when you don't make enough room in your schedule for his ' _awesome presenc_ e' to fill."

Cheya giggled at the joke. But Maddie knew that it was merely to humour her. They both knew that there was an unspoken tension in the room. Neither of them decided to comment on it, however. For if they did, they would have to address the elephant in the room. That elephant being Gilbert. They both had different reasons for their discomfort and easiness. Maddie supposed that it was best not to touch upon their issues with the German.

What Cheya didn't know, however, was that Maddie was well aware of her problems with Gilbert. She wasn't supposed to know, but she did, and the fact that Cheya was openly ignoring Gilbert bothered Maddie. It wasn't fair. She would have given up anything in the world just to be noticed by Gilbert.

Cheya shrugged. "Nah. It's getting late. I think that I'll just go to bed."

Maddie couldn't stop herself. "You're his friend, right? Friends typically text each other back."

The sheepish look on Cheya's face told Maddie everything that she needed to know. Cheya knew about Gilbert's attraction to her, and yet, she had deliberately chosen to ignore it.

It was this reaction that threw Maddie off edge. So badly did she want to shout and scream. But as always, she kept to herself.

And so Maddie sat with clenched fists, silent, yet fuming, angry, yet joking at the same time, smiling, yet crying all the while inside. It absolutely killed her to uphold this facade.

"Maddie," Cheya chuckled. "It's fine really. Besides, don't you hate him?"

"Your words, not mine!" Maddie quipped.

Cheya grinned. She held up her hands in surrender. "I've heard some interesting things lately," she mused.

Maddie deadpanned. "Oh?"

"Lovina told me that you've been hanging around with Gilbert lately."

"Yeah," Maddie reluctantly admitted. She had no reason not to tell the truth. Unlike _someone_. "I suppose. He's beginning to grow on me."

 _Maybe a bit too much for my comfort..._

Cheya yawned, stretching her arms. "That's reassuring. At least you guys won't be at each other's throats anymore."

The French stood up from the bed and walked over to the door. "Whew! I'm exhausted. Nighty night pancake," she smiled.

Maddie smiled back. "Night."

Cheya flicked off the lights and closed the door behind her.

Maddie let out a shaky breath. "If you only you realized just how lucky you were," she choked out in a whisper so faint that even she herself could barely hear it.

The Canadian was lurking in the shadows, dancing on the boundless edges of love and friendship as once again she had confined herself to a voluntary, pain staking silence.

* * *

 **I'm evil; I know. I've accepted it.**

 **Thanks to:** Efficient, Layla, and Red-Hot Habanero for reviewing last chapter!


	20. Oh Crepe!

**Oh Crepe!**

Time Skip: A little over a week before final exams.

The last month or so had gone by really quickly for Gilbert. It was now the beginning of December and he still hadn't been able to tell Cheya how he felt. Every time that he wanted to, either she was too busy or he had something else to do. And that was only part one of his ever growing frustrations. Maddie wasn't speaking to him much either. He didn't know what happened, but she hardly responded to his texts. And when she did, they were no more than one word answers; dry and to the point.

That was one thing that Gilbert liked about Maddie. She was a good texter. She was humorously sarcastic and ironically spiteful. And quite frankly, Gilbert missed the spunky Canadian. Just the other day he had called and asked her out to a movie. He had a brand new lesson in store for her. But she had declined his offer almost right away. It was weird, and although Gilbert had problems of his own to deal with, he couldn't help but worry about Maddie.

Ever since that night at the Vargas' apartment, Maddie had distanced herself from him. And during this time, Gilbert hadn't been able to reclaim that space. It was irritating, but he supposed that Maddie had her own problems to worry about. Final exams were lurking around the corner, after all. And so, the German forced himself to be more understanding. Although, this still didn't explain why Maddie was avoiding him in the first place.

Gilbert looked up. Someone had started to fumble with the door knob. Gilbert cocked his head to the side, grinning to himself as he waited for the familiar bang and disorientated Spanish oomph of surprise. Antonio always forgot which way the door swung open; it was wasn't uncommon for him to walk straight into it.

"Omph _Mierda._ "

And there it was.

Gilbert leaned back against his bed frame. He stretched his arms and yawned. "Another night out at the Vargas apartment?" he mused.

Antonio simply rolled his eyes in response. He shook his hair free from the snowflakes that had fallen onto it. The Spaniard looked a bit grumpy, but Gilbert knew that the cold had this sort of effect on him. All Antonio needed was a few minutes to warm up and he would be as good as new. In other words, he'd be back to being his cheerful, dopey self.

"At least I leave the dorm," Antonio retorted with a scoff.

"Uh-Oh, looks like I've really pissed off the bull now," Gilbert mocked only to falter. An impish grin played onto Antonio's face. And come to think of it, the Spaniard was acting quite suspicious. He was hiding both of his hands behind his back.

"Oi, Antonio?" Gilbert chuckled nervously. "What's that you got there?"

Antonio's eyes lit up with a childish light. "Why I thought that you'd never ask Gil!" The Spaniard pulled out a gloved hand from behind his back. He held out his palm. Resting in it was an abnormally large snow ball. Gilbert gulped at the sight of it.

"So..." Antonio mused. "What's this I hear about you taking a picture of me and Lovi?" Antonio's eyes darkened a shade. His voice dropped to a deadly whisper. " _Without_ our permission?"

Gilbert moved to stand up only to sit down just as quickly. Antonio's hands twitched in a threatening manner. Eyes wide with apprehension, the German raised up two surrendering hands into the air. "Kesese. Let's not do anything too rash-MMPH!" Anything that Gilbert had to say next was cut off. He was too busy spitting out a mouthful of snow.

"Damnit Toni! Was that really fucking necessary?" Gilbert groaned. He raised a hand to wipe off the cold water from his face, cursing all the while.

"Of course it was!" Antonio fumed.

Gilbert chuckled. He bemusedly watched his friend angrily pace back and forth across the restricted length of the dorm room. Antonio slipped into rapid Spanish. Even though he wasn't fluent in Spanish, Gilbert understood the basic gist of it. Antonio was probably just mad at him for upsetting his 'precious tomato.' Gilbert cringed at the thought. To him, there was nothing precious about that woman. Regardless if she herself took pride in it, Lovina was a downright terrifying woman. Not that Gilbert would ever admit _that_ out loud. Oh no. Never!

Annoyed by his friend's restlessness, Gilbert let out a dramatic sigh. "Toni, you're giving me whiplash."

Antonio stopped pacing. But only to direct a glower at Gilbert. "She didn't even bother to tell me about it," he muttered.

Gilbert cocked his head to the side. "What? About the picture?" He had long deleted the picture. Antonio's angry reaction was a bit unprecedented if not irrational.

Antonio gave him an irritated look. "I'm not talking about that!" he snapped, waving off Gilbert's suggestion with a dismissive flick of the hand. Gilbert grinned. His friend continued to storm across the room like an angry bull, bumping into the occasional dresser every and then. Although he was a generally well tempered guy, Antonio did get angry on occasion, and when he did, he tended to become quite nasty and volatile.

Gilbert waggled a patronizing finger at the fuming Spaniard. "Hmmmm. Did something happen between you and Lovina?"

Gilbert took Antonio's snort as a no. Antonio's head snapped in Gilbert's direction. His nostrils flared and his green eyes narrowed into slits. He smelted Gilbert with another furious glare. The two friends were engaged in a silent stare down. One of which that Gilbert had won quite easily.

Antonio sat down on his bed and sighed. His lips pursed into a defeated pout. He could only hold onto his anger for so long. "You'll never guess who the twins' grandfather is," he wined. The Spaniard pondered to himself, his shoulders slumped.

With a wink, Antonio's sullen expression suddenly lifted into a mischievous looking grin. "Fusososo. From what I hear, your brother has also had his fair share of drama.'"

Gilbert perked up at the mention of his brother. "What are you getting at here, Toni?" he asked warily.

Antonio groaned. "Well, for one thing, I'm screwed. Feli told me that their grandfather is Romulus." The Spaniard's solemn words sounded like music to the German's ears.

Gilbert cracked up with laughter. He was struggling to breathe. It had gotten so bad that he had to clutch onto his rib cage. He already felt the beginnings of a cramp. "ROMULUS?! Are you kidding me?! No fucking way!" he chortled.

Antonio pursed his lips into a thin, tight line. He was waiting for Gilbert to catch his breath. Which was taking forever.

Gilbert was still attempting to stifle his laughter. He bit his lip and motioned for Antonio to continue.

Antonio sighed. He ran a hand through his thick and slightly damp muss of curls. "Quite unfortunate, no? Antonio paused. He stroked his chin. A devious smirk graced his face.

"You know, now that I think of it, things might not be that bad after all. It'll be interesting to see how Mr. Vargas reacts when he finds out that me and Lovi are...eheh 'together."

"What I wouldn't pay to see old Romy rip out his hair again," Gilbert grinned. "Funny. I've never seen the twins back home before."

"They only spent their summers with him. But now their moving in with him for good. Their parents left them to move back to Italy."

"Er..." Gilbert muttered awkwardly. "Well that's depressing. So...what was this about West you said?"

Antonio chucked. "It appears that Ludwig's been hit with an Italian love bug."

"And?" Gilbert waved his hand about and snorted. He didn't have to ask his friend to elaborate.

"They met each other when Ludwig visited the University back in October. They've kept in close contact ever since."

"Oh," Gilbert deadpanned. He was a bit disappointed that Ludwig hadn't told him this, but he didn't let on to it. "Good for him, I guess," he shrugged. The room fell silent. Gilbert pulled out his phone to compensate for it. He could always try texting Maddie again. That is, if she ever decided to answer him.

Antonio politely cleared his throat. Gilbert lazily glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. "Have you talked to Cheya lately?"

"Damnit Toni! You really know how to kill the mood!"

"Well, just so you know, this weekend the girls are hosting a games night. They asked me to invite you."

"Why didn't they invite me themselves?" Gilbert snapped back only to wince when his friend shed him an annoyed glare. He needed to calm down if wanted to get anymore information.

Oddly enough, Antonio didn't seem to be fazed by Gilbert's agitated temperament. "It was Feli's idea to host it."

When Gilbert made no indication of responding, Antonio was quick to change tactics. "Cheya will be there~!" the Spaniard sang with a well-aimed wink.

"Fine, I'll go," Gilbert mumbled reluctantly. "It'll be a good opportunity to talk to her alone, don't you think?"

Antonio nodded. "It's about time Gil."

* * *

 **Maddie's POV:**

"Sure, Feli. That sounds great. But I don't know if Cheya can come. I'll ask her about it, how does that sound?" Maddie asked with a cringe. Being a true Italian, Feli had no sense of pitch. And unfortunately for Maddie's fragile eardrums, that meant that she had to endure Feli shrieking into the phone for a good five minutes. Apparently there was no middle ground between speaking and yelling for the bubbly Italian.

 _"VE! I'M MAKING PASTA TOO! I GUESS THAT I CAN EXPECT YOU TO BE THERE, THEN? HEHE!~ SORELLA THAT'S NOT NICE! VINA TOLD ME TO INVITE THE 'WINE BITCH' OVER TOO. OH, THAT'S RIGHT! WHERE HAS CHELLA BEEN LATELY, DO YOU KNOW?"_

Feli's cheerful interrogation was quickly put to a halt. A fire alarm could be heard in the background. That and the hacking coughs of what sounded to be a very angry Lovina.

 _"Feli, you dumbass! The noodles are burning!_ " Maddie's brows furrowed. She could hear a scuffle of some sort. She was able to hear Lovina's swearing and Feli's whimpers of pain. It took a while for the phone connection to stabilize.

 _"OI! MADDIE! It's Lovina. You guys better come over tomorrow, got it? We're having a final get together before the break."_

 _"SORELLA! Give me back the phon_ e," Feli pouted.

"Eh, Lovina?" Maddie's voice went unheard.

 _"DAMNIT FELI! WHY THE FUCK ARE YOUR NAILS SO SHARP?"_

 _"HEHE~! I'M GOING TO TICKLE YOU!"_

 _"D-DON'T YOU FUCKING DARE!"_

 _"HEHE~."_

 _"I'M SERIOUS PASTA BRAIN! AHAHAHAHAHA!- FUCK! STOP!_ " Lovina wailed.

" _VE! MUAHAHAHA THE TICKLE MONSTER STRIKES AGAIN!"_

Feli's giggles were quite contagious. Soon enough, Maddie found herself laughing as well. "Uh...guys? I'm going to hang up now."

No response.

Maddie decided to leave the two sisters to their bickering. She hung up the phone.

"What's going on?" Cheya asked. The French had just woken up from her afternoon nap. She was currently rummaging through the kitchen cabinet, looking for a snack.

Maddie pinched the bridge of her nose. She massaged her sore sinuses. She could already feel the beginnings of a massive headache coming on. "The twins are hosting a games night tomorrow. They want to know if we can come."

"Sounds like fun! I'd love to go."

Maddie flinched when she felt her phone buzz in her front jean pocket. Warily, she pulled it out. When she saw that the text was from Gilbert, she quickly tossed the phone onto the kitchen counter. Ignorance was bliss. Maddie didn't want to know what the text had to say. You don't have to berate her. She had already accepted the fact that she was a hypocrite. And a woeful one at that.

Happily munching on her poptart, Cheya cocked her head to the side. "Pancake?" she questioned with a quizzical stare.

Maddie gulped. She hadn't exactly been on friendly terms with Gilbert over the last month and a half. She had purposefully distanced herself from him. And that had only made him all the more anxious. His texts were becoming more frequent. Regardless if she answered or not. Maddie felt guilty for partaking in the very action that she so loathsomely despised; ignoring someone. But she knew that hanging around Gilbert was toxic for her feelings. Distancing herself from him was her only viable coping method.

Cheya sighed. "It's Gilbert again, isn't it."

Maddie jumped up with surprise. "What?! No! W-what makes you say that?" She stammered.

Cheya shed her with a pitiful grimace. "You complain about him a lot," she shrugged. "Also...you're not very subtle. All it takes is one blush for me to know that it's Gilbert."

"It's not like that!" Maddie protested. Her face burned with a fierce blush. Maddie dove into the kitchen cabinet. Doing so helped hide her face from Cheya and her well-grounded suspicions. Cheya had a so-called 'infinity' for love; Maddie couldn't afford to be sloppy when it came to displaying her emotions.

After grabbing a snack of her own, Maddie turned to walk into the living room. Cheya grabbed her wrist. Maddie spun around. She was met with a pair of wide, but ever skeptical amber eyes.

"Can I ask you something?" Cheya asked.

Maddie ignored the serious look on her friend's face. "Eh, Cheya?"

"Pancake," Cheya tutted in a scolding tone.

Maddie sighed. There was no point in hiding anymore. "Yes, of course you can."

"Do you like Gilbert?" Scratch that. It was time to hide everything, gather her belongings, and move up North. Anything that prevented her from having this godforsaken conversation.

Maddie opened her mouth only to close it when she thought better of it. This was the only time that she would embrace her silence with open arms. For she feared that if she spoke out, all of her efforts to repress her feelings over the past few weeks would have been in vain. Maddie had already shoved her pain aside. But Cheya, despite her good intentions, had ripped off that bandage. She had left Maddie exposed and vulnerable to confrontation.

Maddie shrugged off Cheya's hand. She spun on her heels and rushed into the living room. She couldn't deal with this. Not now and not ever.

"Pancake!" Cheya cried after her. "I'm sorry if I upset you, but I...I," the French faltered. "I wanted to talk to you about something," she finished.

Maddie froze. "You did?" she squeaked. Maddie turned around to face Cheya again. The French's face had creased with worry. Her lips quivered with uncertainty and hesitation; she looked conflicted.

Maddie felt a wave of sympathy overcome her.

She knew that feeling all too well.

"Look, I know that you're probably not interested in hearing this..." Cheya mumbled. She didn't look up to meet Maddie's gaze. "But you deserve to know."

"Perhaps I'm stretching out on a limb here, but if you like him then-"

"I know what you're going to say," Maddie spitefully cut in. "Gilbert already likes _someone_ else."

Cheya gave her a crestfallen look.

"And I know that it's...it's..." Maddie was at a loss for words. She closed her eyes. It was still too painful to come outright with it.

"It's you," Maddie finished with a shaky breath. The room grew silent. Maddie sat down on the couch. She was too tired to stand; too tired to run away from her problems.

Maddie looked up the ceiling. She let out a loathsome sigh. "Was I really that obvious?" she whispered.

Everything around her was crashing and burning. But Maddie was already numb to it. It was only a matter of time before things had begun to catch up with her.

Cheya sat next to her on the couch. "It was overtly obvious, but it was enough," she admitted. "Maddie, I don't know what to do! He's been my friend for so long...I-I"

Cheya rubbed at her eyes. She chuckled bitterly. "Here I am, trying to comfort you and all I can talk about myself. I'm so godamned selfish!"

Maddie grabbed Cheya's hand. The Canadian smiled through tears of her own. "You're not. I'm no better either. I've been avoiding him for the past month...this is all pretty messed up, huh?"

Maddie giggled despite the solemnity of the conversation. Sometimes you just had to laugh at the ridiculousness of everything. "And I thought that High School was bad."

"Tell me about it," Cheya groaned. "To think that I actually miss that Turkish bastard."

"Who?"

"Don't worry about it," Cheya waved her off. "But how do you know about Gilbert's feelings? Er...I mean... you don't have to tell me if you don't want to," she added in quickly.

Maddie shook her head. "No. It's alright. Now that we're being completely honest with each other I might as well. I overheard Gilbert and Antonio talking about it. H-he... didn't tell me himself..."

"And you're 100% sure that's what you heard?"

"Yes. Although I wish it wasn't the case."

Cheya groaned. She slumped against the couch. "I had my suspicions, but this just confirms it," she muttered. "Do you still have feelings for him?

Maddie blushed upon hearing such an intrusive question.

The French took the Canadian's embarrassed reactions as her answer. Thankfully, she didn't pry further.

"Well, first of all I'm going to have to set Gil straight." Cheya chuckled nervously. "Er...on a much happier note..."

With a provocative wink, Cheya nudged shoulders with Maddie. "I'm totally going to set you guys up!" she gushed.

Maddie scoffed. "Absolutely not! Think about it for a moment. How would you feel if you just got rejected? Give the boy some time to breathe!"

Cheya's excitement quickly died down. "You're right," she said with a somber look. "Tomorrow's going to be tough. Gilbert's sure to be there."

"We'll deal with that when the time comes."

"Don't you dare get all all philosophical on me."

"Oh shut it will you?"

"Now you're just being unrealistic. And Maddie?"

"Yes Cheya?"

"That Fritz guy... that was Gilbert wasn't it?"

Once again, Cheya took Maddie's embarrassed silence as her answer.

* * *

 **Cheya's POV:**

I turned to Maddie before knocking on the Vargas' apartment door. "Ready?" I asked. We were both on edge. Maddie was nervous about she would act in front of Gilbert. Whereas I was worried about how Gilbert would act towards me.

Maddie nodded her head. She looked just as determined as I was. "As ready as I'll ever be." For once, her voice didn't shake. She didn't stutter once. I felt my chest swell with pride. You see that? Now that was a girl who I would always admire. Her bravery and capacity for compassion was truly something to look up to.

Honestly, I was just glad to have grown so close to this girl. She was the type of friend that you came across once in a life time. "Oh! Wait just a minute!" Maddie's brow furrowed. She gave me a quick one over. Maddie reached over to tuck a lock of hair behind my ear. "There!" she beamed. I smiled and reciprocated the favour.

"We look hot! I exclaimed. Maddie straightened her skirt. Tucked into her skirt, she wore a pair of black nylons and a red long sleeved shirt. "Speak for yourself!" Maddie jabbed a playful finger at my outfit. I was wearing a black, long sleeved dress. I flipped my hair over my shoulder and winked at Maddie for good measure.

"Onwards pancake!" I cried.

Grabbing the doorknob with one hand, and Maddie's hand with the other, I opened the door and stepped into the Vargas' apartment. Lovina lay slumped over the kitchen table, tomato in hand. She looked annoyed. If her rolling her eyes at Feli didn't already indicate that. I turned my head. Feli was flitting back and forth across the kitchen. The happier Vargas twin stopped to stoop over the stove. She was keeping a close eye on the simmering tomato sauce.

Lovina took a ravenous bite out of her tomato. The scowl never left her face while doing so. "Feli, slow the fuck down. You're going to burn yourself."

Feli, who was indeed stirring the sauce in a hurried manner, furrowed her brows into a focused, albeit stubborn pout. "I've done this many times before Vina," she muttered.

Feli turned her head. She had just noticed that Maddie and I were standing at the door. "Chella!" Feli squealed. The wooden spoon that she was clutching in her hand fell into the sauce pot with a splat. Feli shrieked in pain. Some of the sauce had splashed onto her hand and wrist, scalding her.

"I'm here too," Maddie muttered/ groaned to herself.

Lovina grinned. "What did I say?" she said in a smug voice. "Maybe next time you'll listen to me."

I walked into the kitchen. I turned on the tap for Feli. "Here, run it under some cold water. It'll help with the burn," I suggested.

Under Lovina's all-knowing gaze, Feli took the walk of shame over to the sink. "Thanks Chella," she whimpered.

Lovina scoffed. "Airhead." I shot Lovina a warning glare. She merely shrugged in response.

"That's a nice apron that you got there, Feli."

Feli's face lit up from my compliment. "Grazie! Vina always tells me that it's too girly!" Feli huffed with a well placed turning of the head. Lovina snorted and rolled her eyes. Feli continued to ignore her.

"Lovi! Is this it?" A beaming Antonio emerged from one of the upstairs bedrooms. He was holding up a pack of cards for everyone to see.

"Yes, bastard. I only own one pack of cards. Now get down here, will you? I'm getting bored," Lovina drawled.

"Fusososo! So you do like having me around~!" Antonio smirked. Lovina's face blushed profusely. I cupped a hand around my mouth and pretended to cough. Laughing would have earned me a faceful of half-eaten tomato.

I looked at Maddie. I cocked my head in the direction of the living room. Maddie nodded. She joined me on the couch. I pretended to ignore the shouting around me. It was proving to be very difficult. Lovina punched Antonio in the arm. She was screaming profanities at him in Italian. Antonio cried out in pain. He apologized in Spanish. The couple had a communication problem, and no, the language barrier between them had nothing to do with it.

BANG!

"FUCK! SORRY!" I cringed at the sound of Gilbert's deep voice. Maddie tensed up beside me. I gave her one last encouraging smile before I stood up and walked over to the foot the staircase. But alas, Lovina had already beaten me to it. Seriously, where the heck did she even come from?!

"GILBERT?!" Lovina's sharp voice rang across the apartment. I had half the mind to curl up into a ball and cry. "WHAT. DID. YOU. DO?"

A sheepish looking Gilbert stood at the top of the staircase. "Well, I may or may not have just broken a vase..." Nervous, Gilbert placed both hands into the front pocket of his grey hoodie. His shoulders slumped with defeat. He shrunk under Lovina's furious gaze.

Lovina inhaled sharply. Before all hell could break loose, I stumbled forward. It was time to put ease to this potentially volatile confrontation. "I'm sure that he didn't mean it," I chided. "Right, Gilbert?"

Gilbert's eyes widened. He had just noticed me standing there. He chuckled nervously, running a hand through his fair hair. "Ja, of course."

Gilbert sauntered downstairs. He shed me with his usual cocky smirk. "Nice to see you too, Hase," he teased. "I was beginning to think that you didn't exist."

Even though he was joking, Gilbert's voice did have a bitter undertone to it. His crimson eyes narrowed. He was waiting for me to respond. The tension resting between us was draining. Maddie, god bless her, took this chance to swoop in and save me from my speechlessness.

Maddie walked over to Gilbert, grabbed his elbow, and towed him towards the living room. "You really need to be more careful," she scolded. "All you do is cause trouble."

Maddie didn't look at Gilbert when she spoke. Her eyes were trained on the ground. I could tell that she was making an effort not to stutter.

Gilbert guffawed. He draped a heavy arm over Maddie's shoulders, cackling all the while. Maddie knee's buckled under the weight.

The laughter was put to a halt when Maddie elbowed him in the gut.

"AT A GIRL!" Lovina and I cried out in perfect unison. When then exchanged looks of both surprise and bemusement. We may not see eye to eye on everything, but Lovina and I both had low tolerance levels when it came to Gilbert and his douche-like tendencies.

Gilbert groaned to himself. "Fuck."

* * *

 **Gilbert's POV:**

Everyone gathered in the living room. Feli had a game that she wanted them all to play. Gilbert wanted to sit next to Cheya on the couch, but unfortunately, that spot was already occupied. Lovina had decided to settle her pretentious, arrogant little Italian butt there. And of course, Antonio just _had_ to sit next to her. Which left Gilbert with a nice, crisp spot on the ground. Gilbert picked at his nails. He was bored out of his mind. They had just had a very filling pasta dinner. No one complained when Feli told them to sit and relax.

Maddie sat next to Gilbert on the ground. But she didn't seem to have any interest in speaking to him. She kept fidgeting with her hands, and whenever he did meet her gaze, she would look away just as quickly. This was quite irksome for Gilbert. Maddie was acting oddly and he was clueless as to why. He couldn't wrap his head around it.

Gilbert nudged shoulders with Maddie. He did his best to bite down on his impatience. And so, he smiled. "Hey, how have you been?"

Maddie jumped up with a surprised start. She quickly averted her gaze to the ground. "I suppose that I'm alright. I've been studying more than anything lately."

Maddie's face scrunched up with frustration. She let out an irritable sigh and muttered something unintelligible under her breath.

"He asks you how you are and the first thing you can think of is school?! You idiot!"

"What was that?"

"N-nothing!"

Gilbert chance to pry further was interrupted when Feli skipped into the living room.

Feli cleared her throat. "Alright! Who's ready to play some charades?" Feli flopped her long, copper curls over one shoulder. She bent over to grab a stack of prompt cards from the coffee table.

"Ve. The game requires for us to do this in pairs!~"

Gibert grinned. He turned to look up at Cheya. But Cheya already had her eyes set on Feli.

For a brief moment Cheya looked down at Gilbert. They met each other's gaze, but neither of them spoke.

Cheya looked away and swallowed. "Feli! I'll be partners with you!"

Gilbert bit his tongue, choosing, for his own sanity, to remain silent.

Maddie tapped Gilbert on the shoulder. "Would you like to be partners with me, Gilbert?" Gilbert smiled at the soft expression on Maddie's face. Her wide violet eyes looked up to him expectantly.

Gilbert shed Maddie with a troublesome smirk. "TEAM AWESOME HERE WE GO!" he bellowed.

Secretly, Gilbert felt disgusted with himself. He hated how he had to pretend and act like he wasn't bothered by Cheya's ignoring of him. Gilbert wasn't a fool. He knew everything that there was to Cheya, and he had become well accustomed to this sort of behaviour. She was always one to run away at the sight trouble. But what irked Gilbert the most was her feigned ignorance.

Perhaps she wasn't aware of this, but Cheya was dragging him down with her.

They were supposed to be a team. They were supposed to stick together. To help each other when the other one was down. But this bond, this friendship of theirs that he cherished so dearly was teetering in the wake of something much deeper; the inevitability of his confession to her.

Gilbert couldn't bear to hide his feelings for much longer. His impatience was growing. But as frustrating as it was, he would just have to wait. He couldn't be too reckless. They were in the presence of company, after all.

 _Tonight. I'll tell her later tonight..._

* * *

 **Cheya's POV:**

Slumped over on the couch, Maddie, Feli, and I watched Lovina and Antonio play their round of charades. It appeared as if Lovina was miming a pregnancy. Antonio had yet to clue in to this. Lovina stroked her belly in an affectionate manner.

Antonio's brows furrowed in contemplation. "You're hungry for a tomato?"

Lovina's shook her head. Her face puffed up with anger. It was only a matter of time before she exploded. She was biting down on her lip so hard that it had started to bleed.

Feli giggled at Antonio's stupidity. "30 seconds!"

Lovina cradled her stomach with both arms. Her body swayed slightly as she rocked back and forth on her heels. "Y-you're on a boat?"

Gilbert's loathsome groan could be heard all the way from the kitchen. The idiot was still sulking; Lovina had put him there on on a time out. For a good reason too. Gilbert had pointed at Lovina when he was given the word 'demon' to mime.

It was a bit of relief for me to know that Gilbert was separated from the rest of us. I was well aware of the fact that he had been stealing glances at me all night. It was obvious that Maddie had realized this too, poor girl. Overall, it was best to keep my distance from him. Even though Maddie didn't say anything, the pained look on her face told me everything that I needed to know. Every now and then I would grab her hand for supportive reassurance. She would reciprocate the gesture with a timid smile.

"10 Seconds!"

Lovina mimed a rounded belly with very obvious circling motions. She had clearly dumbed down her actions for Antonio.

"THE EARTH!" the Spaniard cried out with a grin.

And here comes the snap.

"NO, YOU DUMBASS!" Lovina screeched. "I WAS MIMING A PREGNANCY!" Combat boots stomped against the ground. Lovina practically slammed herself onto the couch. It nearly tipped over. Maddie rammed into my shoulder. We both scooted over to give Lovina some space. A lot of space. Feli was the lucky one. At least she was sitting on the floor.

Antonio, who had been sitting at the foot of the staircase, stood up. He walked around the couch to stand behind Lovina. I turned around to give him a warning glance. But it was already too late. Antonio had already started to pat Lovina's head. That was one thing that she hated on top of everything else. She hated to be patronized.

"There, there Lovi. We'll get them next time," he cooed.

Lovina swatted at Antonio's hand. "So help me God! Say one more word, I fucking _dare_ you!" she warned with a huff.

Lovina crossed her arms. "Remind me to never have kids with you. I can barely handle one moron as it is."

The entire room grew silent. Antonio was the first to break it. "Lovi...y-you want to have kids with me?" he asked in a dazed voice.

Lovina's comment was light-hearted at best. She still nonetheless tensed up in response to Antonio's question.

Lovina averted her gaze to the ground. "Tch! I was only joking...idiota," she mumbled.

Antonio, however, took an immense amount of pride in this answer. He grinned from ear to ear.

"Stop looking at me like that!"

Antonio stood in front of Lovina. He held out his hand for her to take. He pulled her forward and she stumbled into his arms.

"What are you doing?! Lovina stammered.

Antonio placed a hand on Lovina's waist. He used the other to clasp her left hand. "Dancing of course!" the Spaniard beamed.

"What the fuck? Why?!" Lovina's face flushed a deep red. She grudgingly let Antonio parade and spin her about the room.

"Practicing for our wedding of course!" Antonio chuckled.

Embarrassed by such a suggestion, Lovina buried her face into the crook of his neck. Antonio pressed his lips to the top of Lovina's head.

"Te Amo," he murmured.

"S-shut up!' Lovina wailed. Antonio dipped her into a bow.

Gilbert rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Once a fuckboy, always a fuckboy."

Both Maddie and I directed a glare at the grumbling German. We both loved a good romance when we saw one.

Feli sighed. "Be good to my sorella, Tonio," she whispered to herself. "With you, maybe she'll finally grow to love herself."

* * *

 **Cheya's POV:**

After we played through several rounds of charades, everyone was too tired to do much of anything. All of us were either slumped on the couch or the floor. The chatter was idle and we filled up our stomachs with a large amount of chocolate gelato. Gilbert was still imprisoned in the kitchen. So I didn't have too much to worry about.

My phone buzzed. I pulled it out from my pocket. Several text message bubbles bombarded the home screen. They were all from Arthur. I stood up from the couch and stretched my arms. Lovina, who was currently buried under Antonio's arm, shed me with a smug looking grin.

"Leaving so soon, wine bitch?" she drawled.

"Oh Lovina. What would my life be without your spiteful insults of wisdom?" I retorted.

"TCH!"

I rolled my eyes. "I'll be right back. I have to make a quick phone call."

I heard Gilbert mutter something under his breath. I didn't turn back to face him. He was clearly bitter.

I wanted nothing to do with it.

...

I paced back and forth across the hall way. I was forced to endure yet another one of Arthur's worrywart lectures. " _Five fucking hours! Do you even check your phone_?" he complained.

"Arthur, believe it or not I have a life outside of you," I chuckled.

" _O-oh. I see. But still! A text every now and then would be nic_ e."

"AW! Does my precious browzilla miss me?"

Arthur, being very distraught, decided to let my browzilla comment slide.

It took him a while to answer back.

" _Yes. Quite a bit actuall_ y," he finally admitted.

I felt a pang of guilt rise up in my chest. With final exams lurking around the corner, studying had taken up most of my spare time.

I sighed. "I miss you too. Once the craziness of exams are over, I'll make it up to you; pinky swear!"

Arthur chuckled. " _Does that mean that you'll wear the bunny suit for me again_?" His voice lowered into a teasing, gravelly tone.

"In your dreams, pervert." I scoffed. "...I should go. My friends will get suspicious if I'm out for too long."

" _Fine_ ," he groaned. _"But_ do _try to remember that I exist_."

I rolled my eyes. "Well noted. Good bye Arthur."

 _"Good bye, slut bunny_ ," he teased.

"Arrogant prick," I grumbled. Arthur inhaled sharply. I was quick to hang up the phone after that.

I spun on my heels. I wasn't looking ahead. Nor did I expect Gilbert to be standing there. I bumped right into him.

Gilbert caught my elbow. He set me up straight. I took a few steps back. Gilbert's face hardened into a cold expression. His arms were crossed. "Who's an arrogant prick?" he asked. The tone of his voice made it sound like a challenge. His red eyes bored into mine. He stepped forward to close the distance between us.

I was trapped. I couldn't back away. Doing that would only make him suspicious. Or should I say 'more suspicious'.

"For fucks sakes Cheya! Is it really _that_ hard to answer me?"

I froze.

 _Merde._

* * *

 **Gilbert's POV:**

Gilbert was very agitated. He watched Cheya walk out of the apartment. Her secretive nature was beginning to get on his nerves. Since when did she have to 'step out' to make a phone call? What was so important that made her feel the need to speak in private?

Whatever it was, Gilbert was intent on finding out. He was sick of her running away. If he had to, he would force her talk to him. Gilbert stood up. He walked over to the door. Antonio took one look at him and nodded his head. They both knew what was about to happen. Gilbert was going to confront Cheya head on.

Gilbert walked out the door. Unbeknownst to him, Maddie whimpered to herself. "Oh God. Please just let everything work out."

The sound of giggling could be heard in the hallway; Cheya's giggling. She had her back turned to him.

"Arrogant prick," she muttered.

Gilbert cocked his head to the side. His stomach lurched uncomfortably. This was it. He was finally going to tell her.

Cheya turned around. Her face was pink from laughter. She didn't notice that he was standing there until she bumped into him. Gilbert caught her elbow. He set her up straight.

Her amber eyes widened with surprise. She took a few steps back. Gilbert balled his hands into tight fists.

Cheya averted her gaze to the ground. Gilbert struggled to find his voice. When he did, he spoke in a numb, unfeeling tone that was unfamiliar even to himself.

"Who's an arrogant prick?" His voice echoed along the walls of the hallway. Cheya flinched at the blunt tone of his voice. She fidgeted with the watch on her wrist. No effort to speak was made. She was nervous, but as to why, Gilbert had no idea.

Gilbert was beginning to feel his own sense of nervousness. There she stood, the love of his life, effortlessly beautiful without a doubt. But something was wrong. She wasn't acting like the strong-willed person that he had grown to love. It frustrated him to know that he was the source of her discomfort.

Cheya shed Gilbert with a weak smile. "It's no one important. Don't worry about it."

The French attempted to skirt around the German.

Gilbert sidestepped and blocked her path. He stood his ground and grit his teeth. "You didn't answer my question."

Cheya spoke firmly. "I told you that it was nothing." Her lips were pursed into a stubborn looking scowl. She titled up her chin and looked him right in the eyes.

They both glared at each other.

Something about that comment set him off. Any restraint that he had was now gone. An uncontrollable rage swelled up in his chest.

"You know what?" Gilbert chuckled bitterly. "I'm getting _really_ fucking tired of this." Cheya opened her mouth to speak. Gilbert was quick to cut her off with a impatient wave of the hand. The air grew eerie. The tension between them had reached unfathomable levels of mutual frustration. Unshakable in his determination, Gilbert intended to see his plan through. He had waited too long to back out now.

"I hardly see you anymore, and when I do, you always have something else to do. You've gone out of your way to avoid me; why?"

Cheya didn't answer him. Her eyes welled with tears. She cussed to herself in French. It didn't take her long to react.

The French futilely tried to push past the German once more.

"CHEYA!" Gilbert screamed. Without a second thought, he grabbed onto her shoulders with both hands. He had half the mind to shake her until she made sense again. His eyes pleaded for her to look at him. She didn't. Gilbert became furious.

"LOOK AT ME WHEN I TALK TO YOU!"

Cheya shrugged herself out of his grip. But instead of stepping back, she took a step forward. She too was furious. She glowered right back at him. "FINE! I'M LOOKING AT YOU! ARE YOU HAPPY NOW?' she shouted.

Cheya shivered. She had no control over her voice. It shook with doubt and uncertainty.

"WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE, BUTTING IN, ACTING AS I'M OBLIGATED TO TELL YOU EVERYTHING?! NEWSFLASH GILBERT! I'LL TELL YOU WHATEVER I DAMN WELL PLEASE!"

Gilbert recoiled. "I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO TELL ME EVERYTHING!" he lashed back.

Cheya angrily wiped at her eyes. "THEN WHAT ARE YOU ASKING?" she demanded, her voice cracking.

"I'm asking for you to treat me as if I fucking exist," Gilbert hissed. The guilty expression on Cheya's face only added more fuel to his anger. He took a step forward. Cheya was quick to take a step back.

"ARGH! STOP DOING THAT!" Gilbert's throat throbbed. It had become raw from the pain of shouting.

Gilbert felt detached from himself. He was floating. He was numb. The supporting tethers of his life had snapped in two. Everything that he had ever cared about was slipping from his grasp. He was trapped in his own self destructive behavior.

"You're fucking selfish, you know that?" he spat. "Have you ever considered how I feel? What happened Cheya? Why don't you talk to me anymore?"

Gilbert's voice broke off. "Don't I mean anything to you?"

 _Who are you? Where have you been?_

Tears streamed down Cheya's cheeks. "Gilbert, please," she begged. "Why are you doing this?"

"WHY AM I DOING THIS?" Gilbert bellowed. He was disgusted with himself. And so he laughed. It was a bitter, cruel sounding laugh. Incredulous, yet unfathomably pained at the same time.

"You just don't get it, do you? Don't you realize how much I-"

The apartment door slammed open.

"GILBERT!" a grim faced Antonio stepped out into the hallway. "That's enough. It's time to go," he said firmly.

Gilbert wasn't given a chance to voice his opinion on the matter.

Lovina swooped into the hallway. She draped a comforting arm over Cheya's trembling shoulders. "Come on, let's get you inside," she murmured softly.

Gilbert just watched. Antonio placed a cautious arm in front of him.

But didn't matter anymore. He wasn't going to do anything.

His will to fight was gone.

Gilbert spun on his heels. He stormed off in the opposite direction. "Nice one Gilbert. Way to fuck up everything."

 _Please. Forgive me Cheya. I shouldn't have yelled. Fuck. I shouldn't have done half of the things that I did. But the thought of losing you...it terrifies me._

 _You're not the one who's being selfish._

 _I am._


	21. Ama-Daaang!

**Ama-Daaang!**

 **Lovina's POV:**

Lovina cussed under her breath. Her hair was blowing back in her face. She was freezing and absolutely miserable in the cold. But that didn't stop her from leaving her apartment. She could only withstand so much moping. Both Cheya and Maddie had fallen into a state of gloom over the past couple of days. They lounged around idly and drowned themselves in their own self-pity. They only left their apartment if it was absolutely necessary, and even then they hardly attended any of their classes.

The entire situation was fucked up. Maddie liked Gilbert. Gilbert liked Cheya. Cheya was dating a teacher's assistant unbeknownst to both Gilbert and Antonio. Said teacher's assistant was Maddie's cousin. Lovina appreciated the fact that her friends trusted her with their problems. She really did. But then again, she wasn't exactly the best person to confide in when it came to love. Heck. She was still trying to figure out her feelings for Antonio.

Er...What was she doing again? Oh yeah! She was walking outside during the middle of a fucking ice age.

Lovina looked around the court yard. She was looking for a distraction. Oh look. Some idiota just slipped on a patch of black ice. Haha.

Anyways. Back to her current situation. Here she was. Huddled under three layers of sweaters and a jacket, stomping through the snow covered paths of some irrelevant courtyard. Lovina closed her eyes. She forced herself to clear her mind. To relax. It was only half an hour ago that Antonio had called and asked her to meet him here. As to why, that was beyond her.

"LOVI~!" Lovina turned around. She was met with Antonio's beaming smile. He was wearing a black trench coat and in his hand he clutched onto a red, wool hat that matched that of his own.

Green eyes bright and cheeks rosy with mirth, the Spaniard pranced over to the scowling Italian.

Lovina crossed her arms. She looked at Antonio through narrowed, suspicious eyes. "What's that?" she asked, pointing to the hat.

"I brought you a hat!"

Lovina rolled her eyes. "I could see that for myself, dumbass."

"Why?"

Antonio grinned. He bent down to peck her on the cheek. Lovina couldn't help but blush. The bastard had a knack for catching her off guard.

"That's why," he purred into her ear. "The hat matches your blush quite well...eheh."

Lovina balled her hands into fist. Antonio flinched and closed his eyes. He was prepared for a strike. A strike that never came. Lovina reached out to swipe away a few stray curls from his face. She tucked them under his hat.

Antonio's eyes fluttered open. He looked shocked. Hence his nervous chuckles. "Eheh, Lovi?"

"There," Lovina smiled. "You had a bit of a super man curl going on there."

Antonio shed her with a playful smirk. He placed one hand on his hip. The other was clenched into a fist. Striking a heroic, albeit dorky pose, Antonio raised the hat to the air. Lovina scoffed. He was such an idiota. Cute, but still moronic nonetheless.

"Watch out mi amour," he warned with a mischievous chuckle. Antonio swung around the hat as if it were an airplane. "Uh-oh! Looks like we're going to have to make an unexpected stop!"

Antonio opened the hat. He raised it over Lovina's head. Lovina ducked out of the way just in time. No way in hell was she going to wear the godawful piece of wool. Fashion disaster, anyone?

"Don't you fucking dare, bastard," she growled. Lovina defiantly turned her head to the side. "I'm not wearing it."

This comment only seemed to encourage the Spaniard.

Antonio bared his lips into a devilish looking grin. He paced forward. His eyebrows were furrowed in concentration. Determined green eyes locked onto their scowling Italian target. Lovina backed away. Antonio persisted with his advancement. "Scared, chica?" he teased.

"N-no," Lovina stammered. Her eyes darted around the court yard. But there was no escaping him. Antonio was backing her into a tree.

Lovina's back slammed against said tree trunk with a defeated thud.

"Tsk! Tsk! There's no escaping me now," he cooed. Grasping for straws, Lovina did something truly desperate; she kissed him. She grabbed him by the collar of his jacket and pulled him down to meet her lips. Lovina smirked when she heard his muffled grunt of surprise.

Antonio pulled away. He ogled at Lovina. "You're surprisingly nice today," he remarked.

"SHUT IT YOU BAS-" Lovina faltered mid-sentence. A massive avalanche of snow had just fallen onto her head.

"FUCK!" she wailed. Lovina's head flailed around. She was was having no success with shaking off the snow.

Antonio looked up at the tree and then back down at Lovina. He was more than smug when he spoke. "If you wore the hat, this wouldn't have happened," he tutted.

Lovina's hand snapped forward. She grudgingly took the hat from him. "Fine, happy bastard?" Oh look! We're matching! How adorable," she mocked with a thick amount of sarcasm.

"What's wrong with matching hats?" Antonio quipped. Lovina didn't answer him. She was too busy devising her plan of revenge. Lovina bent over, pretending to tie up the laces of her boots. Her back was turned to him. With gloved hands, she scooped up a generous amount of snow. She packed it down into a snowball.

The Italian chuckled to herself.

Lovina stood up and turned around. Antonio, upon noticing the snowball in her hand, was quick to raise his hands into a surrendering stance. "Eh-heh, Lovi. I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Lovina cocked her head to the side. She pouted her lips. "Oh? And why not?" she hummed in an unnervingly cheerful voice. Lovina stalked forward. She raised her hand to tease the bastard further.

She dabbled in playing off of his fear.

Antonio enlightened her with a patronizing smile. "Because I won't go easy on you," he mused. His eyes were wide with excitement. His body tensed up with mock anticipation.

Lovina grit her teeth. The bastard didn't think that she had the balls to follow through with her threat.

What a fatal mistake that was.

 _WHOMP!_

Eyes wide with surprise, Antonio used his coat sleeve to wipe off the snow beard from his chin.

Lovina cackled. She turned on her heels and sprinted off in the opposite direction. "CATCH ME IF YOU CAN BASTARD!"

* * *

 **Antonio's POV:**

Antonio scanned the courtyard with focused eyes. A low growl rumbled in his throat. The echo of Lovina's snobbish giggles rang across the court yard. It was frustrating. She ran much too fast for him to track her movements. He only saw a flash of auburn hair. And even though he couldn't see her, Antonio knew that a pair of smug, hazel eyes would be watching his every move.

"LET'S PLAY A GAME BASTARD!" Lovina shouted. Antonio turned to his left. She was hiding somewhere within the row of pine trees. Antonio squinted. The snow had limited his visibility. He had no choice but to play along with the Italian's childish whims.

"TAKE A GUESS! WHERE AM I NOW?" Lovina's giggles echoed through out the court yard once more.

"I don't know, chica. Why don't you come out and face me head on?" Antonio challenged with a smirk.

Antonio stopped in his tracks. He hummed contentedly under his breath. It was only a matter a time before Lovina popped out from her hiding place. He was baiting her. Poking at her pride. He was ruthlessly using Lovina's hot headed temper to his own advantage.

As expected, Lovina fell for his bait. Twenty meters ahead of him, Lovina poked her head around a tree trunk. The trademark scowl was evident on her face. Even from afar.

The Spaniard's hand twitched.

"You take the fun out of everything!" she pouted.

Lovina stepped out of her hiding place.

Antonio grinned. He didn't hesitate to whip the snowball forward. He watched it curve up high into the air. Antonio chuckled. The snowball barreled towards Lovina's shocked face.

Lovina cursed. She was quick to dive out of the way. The snowball hit the tree with a _splat_!

Antonio grimaced.

Dios mio, was he ever going to regret that later.

Lovina warily poked her head around the tree. She began to curse at him in Italian. But Antonio paid no heed to her words. He was too busy laughing at her. Her face flushed with anger. Pft! She looked just like a tomato!

The Spaniard grinned; he loved to see that heated, competitive flare in her eyes.

Lovina shouted at him. Her hands gestured around erratically. She stomped her combat boots against the ground. Her long, auburn curls swayed about in the wind. "The fuck?! You nearly took off my head!" she snarled with a glowering leer.

"Oh Lovi," Antonio muttered to himself. "I want nothing more than to take _you_ , mi amor."

 _Won't you be mine?_

* * *

 **Lovina's POV:**

Lovina dashed in and out of the pine trees. She cackled to herself. It was amusing to watch Antonio blindly search around for her. She was wearing a white coat. Which meant that she had the advantage of camouflage. Lovina stopped to catch her breath. Her back rested against the trunk of a pine tree. She carefully looked over her shoulder.

Ok good.

The bastard still had his back turned to her. With a sly grin, Lovina bent over to scoop up a handful of snow. She packed the white substance into a tight ball. Lovina crept forward. She intended to sneak up on the wandering, clueless Spaniard. She flitted from tree to tree. She had to bite her lip in order to stifle her giggles. She could tell that the bastard's frustration was growing.

Whenever it came to games of any sort, Antonio's cheerful demeanor was left behind. And in its place Lovina found a personality that was easily agitated. Antonio didn't like to lose. He especially hated to lose to Lovina, as she was always one to brag. But this made the game all the more fun for her.

Lovina's hand twitched. She longed to throw the snowball forward. But she knew that she had to be patient. She wanted to get as close to him as she possibly could. Victory was always better up close. Lovina vied to see the defeated look in his eyes. She wanted to see them narrow into a cold, fiery grimace. She wanted to experience the stubborn, smoldering, and scowling side of him. To be smelted with his raw, passionate gaze was her mission.

She wanted to irk the Spaniard. To see his dark side. To see him reveal the fiery personality that had been carefully hidden behind his dopey, extroverted charms. Because that side of him. That wild, volatile, and unpredictable personality of his. That was what Lovina liked the most about him. He wasn't afraid to show her who he was. He left himself completely open to her. Antonio had his quirks; Lovina was growing quite fond of them.

She loved him. She just hadn't realized it yet.

Lovina cursed when Antonio turned around. She pressed her back to another tree trunk. It took a lot of effort to stifle her heavy breathing.

"Lovi? Is that you~?" Antonio sang oh so smugly.

Lovina didn't answer him. She staked it out for a couple of minutes. When she was sure that she couldn't hear his footsteps, Lovina poked her head around the tree trunk. She couldn't help but grin. The Spaniard was walking forward in the opposite direction. His back was still turned to her. Perfect. Her plan wasn't in jeopardy just yet. Lovina raised her foot to step over a pile of twigs. One wrong move would compromise her position.

Too bad she made all the wrong fucking moves.

"FUCKING HELL!" With a cry, Lovina tripped forward. The snap of twigs could have easily given her away. Lovina flailed her arms. She used them to catch her fall. Now on the ground, Lovina's eyes darted around the courtyard. She sighed with relief. Her careless blunder had gone unnoticed by the Spaniard.

Back on the prowl and with two new snow balls in hand, Lovina shadowed the Spaniard once more. She was mere paces behind himnow. The fact that he had yet to notice her lurking presence was unnerving. Antonio's shoulders tensed. Lovina raised her hands. She was preparing to smash two handfuls of snow into his unsuspecting ears.

Lovina's chance never came; her plan had fallen short.

Antonio spun around, chuckling and grinning like a maniac all the while. He smacked the snow balls out of Lovina's hands with an uncanny ease.

Lovina gasped. She turned around to bolt. But it was already far too late. Two strong arms hooked around her waist. Antonio lifted her into the air. Lovina's legs kicked back furiously. She was rendered helpless to his schemes. He spun her around in a dizzying circle.

"Let me go, you bastard!" she cried but to no avail.

Antonio set her down. But not before placing a chaste kiss on the top of her head. His arms were still wrapped around her waist. Lovina's back was pressed up against his stomach. Thank God too. She didn't have the balls to face him. Her face was burning with a fierce blush. Antonio's smug words of victory only made it worse.

"I found you~!" he cooed.

Lovina shrugged out his grasp. With an indignant huff, she turned around to face him. Fuck what she said earlier. She had a stronzo to antagonize.

Antonio's lips pursed into a mocking pout. "Leaving so soon?"

Lovina rolled her eyes. She raised a clawed finger and jabbed it into his chest. "Care to explain why you brought me here?"

Antonio shrugged. "I don't know. It seemed like fun."

"Freezing my tits off in a fucking snow storm isn't exactly my version of fun."

Antonio grinned. He bent down. Their foreheads brushed against each other. His eyes had a playful, childish light to them. It didn't take Lovina long to smile back it him. She couldn't help it. His smile was just that contagious.

"This place was much nicer before it snowed. They had roses so beautiful and red that they reminded me of you, amada," he sighed.

"Although, just by being here, you've already made this place so much more beautiful."

Lovina grumbled. She nuzzled her head into the crook of his neck. "Te Amo, Lovi," he whispered.

Lovina tensed under his embrace. "STOP!" she blurted out. Lovina shoved him in the chest. Antonio stumbled backwards.

A look of hurt crossed over the Spaniard's face. The Italian winced. She woefully regretted the rashness of her actions.

God did she ever hate herself sometimes.

"Lovi," Antonio started. Lovina didn't let him finish.

"How do you know that?" she demanded in a cracked voice. "For fucks sakes, Antonio! I barely know you. How can you say such a thing?"

Antonio's eyes darkened a shade. "I thought that I was quite clear about my feelings for you." He spoke in an icy tone. He wouldn't look at her. But rather he was looking right through her. The gleeful light in his eyes was gone. The affection disappearing right along with it.

"Am I right to assume that you don't feel the same way?"

Lovina was unable to find her voice. All she could do was stare back at him. Her eyes pleaded with him. They begged for him to understand. But all of her efforts to do so were in vain. With one last disappointed look, Antonio turned his back to her. He bowed his head and began to trudge off in the opposite direction.

Lovina balled her hands into tight fists. She stood. Utterly helpless. But stubborn in her will, Lovina fought back. She fought back against her worries. She refused to fuel her doubts for any longer.

"WAIT!" she cried out. Lovina stumbled forward. She quickened her pace to catch up with the retreating Spaniard.

Antonio was slow to turn around. Lovina winced when she saw the pained look in his eyes. The Spaniard had his hands shoved into his coat pockets. His shoulders were slumped and his eyes were fixed on the ground. He refused to look up and meet her gaze.

Lovina bit her lip. Damnit! Why did she have to be such a fuck up?!

"I'm scared," Lovina whispered.

Antonio took a hesitant step forward. "Lovi?" he cocked his head to the side.

"I'M SCARED! Lovina repeated. This time she was shouting. Her whole body was trembling. In the end, she decided to brave it out.

The Italian strode towards the stunned Spaniard. "I'm scared Antonio!" Tears welled in the corners of her eyes.

"I've never felt this way about anyone before! A-and...I...DAMNIT! What the fuck is wrong with me?!" she cried.

Lovina's face set into a firm, unrelenting grimace. She eyed the Spaniard head on. She was utterly defeated. She let her words speak for themselves.

"I-I love you too, you damned bastard!"

Antonio gave her a shy smile. He held out both arms. Lovina took this cue as an excuse to ram straight into his chest. She clearly didn't realize her strength.

Lovina knocked Antonio off of his feet. They fell to the ground with a loud, clumsy sounding oomph. She lay on top of his stomach. Her face was pressed up against his collar bone.

Lovina sat up. "I take back everything. I fucking hate you," she pouted.

The Italian aimed a half-hearted glare at the now ecstatic looking Spaniard.

Antonio looked up to her and smiled. "I love you too, Lovina Vargas."

Lovina crawled off of him. "So, what now?"

Antonio stood up. He held out his hand for her. A smirk graced his lips when he noticed the unflattering blush on her face.

Lovina reluctantly took his hand.

"Stop looking at me like that!"

"I'll look at my girlfriend however I want!"

"Girlfriend?!

"Sí."

"Ugh, Fuck me."

"Well, if you insist~"

 _SMACK._

"OW! Is that how you treat your new boyfriend?"

 _SMACK._

Antonio didn't have to be a genius to know that there would be many more smacks to come.

* * *

 **Lovina's POV:**

Lovina twisted her hair into a towel turban. With that done and over with, she padded out of her bathroom. She was still soaked from her snow ball fight. Antonio didn't hold back at all. In other words, Lovina had her ass handed to her. Antonio spared her no mercy when it came to shoving snow down her shirt. It was only fair of her to reciprocate such a gesture by slamming two fistfuls of snow into his ears. She smiled at the memory. He was such a dumbass. But his capacity for kindness had softened her opinion of him. Was he an idiot? Yes. Did she love him? Grudgingly so.

Lovina grabbed a spare towel from the linen closet. She then made her way downstairs. "Bastard?" she called out.

The Italian looked around the apartment. But the Spaniard was no where to be seen.

"Fine," she huffed, evidently speaking to herself. "You can stay soaked for all I care."

Antonio's _stupid_ 'fusososo' laughter gave away his position. He was hiding under the staircase. Lovina scoffed. His hair was still wet as evident by the way that his curls stuck to his forehead.

The Italian's eyes bulged out. They greedily took in the sight of the Spaniard's bare chest. It's not like she hadn't seen it before, but hey, when you see something that fucking gorgeous, you're going to stare.

Lovina was a met with a pair of smug green eyes. "New hair style?" he mused.

Lovina bit her lip. Her efforts to suppress her temper proved to be futile. But that wasn't her only struggle. She was also trying, in vain, not to look at the Spaniard's chest.

Damn. Training to become a cop truly did wonders for his body.

Lovina scowled to hide her embarrassment. She shoved a towel into his chest. "Here." Antonio was quick to pick up on her uneasiness.

Unfortunately for Lovina, he joyfully took advantage of it.

"You like what you see?" he winked. For good measure, Antonio traced a finger along his lean, but oh so gloriously pecked chest.

 _Fuck._ She was going to crack.

Lovina's blush was instantaneous. Those were the first words that she had ever said to him. Er...not that she remembered or anything. Of course not.

"Fuck no!" Lovina turned her head to the side. She was pretending to ignore the Spaniard's teasing glare.

Antonio took a step forward. He grabbed Lovina's hand and placed it into his own. "I beg to differ," he smirked. "Perhaps you'd like to touch it?"

Lovina raised her free hand into the air. She was more than prepared to attack her Spanish harasser.

Her attack was waved off almost immediately. Antonio placed a sloppy kiss onto her lips, effectively distracting her. Antonio gleefully made an annoying smacking sound with his lips. The smug bastard knew full well that this would only add to her growing irritation.

He was enjoying this way too much.

Antonio raised her hand. Lovina eyes widened when she realized what he was trying to do. "NO WAY IN HELL!" she shrieked but to no avail.

Lovina tugged back on her hand. It was a battle that she was currently losing. Her hand was inching closer and closer towards Antonio's chest.

The Spaniard's grin only got wider. "Come on," he purred. "You know you want to."

"WHAT THE FUCK?! NO!"

"TOUCH IT~ EHEHE."

"NO!"

"TOUCH IT LOVI."

"GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME!"

Antonio let out a dramatic sigh. "My chest has been _really_ lonely lately," he pouted. "Won't you cheer it up?"

Lovina grimaced. She had no shred of dignity to fight for. "If I touch it, will you leave me alone?"

As to why she was playing along with the bastard's devilish schemes, only God would know.

A look of surprise crossed over Antonio's face. He let go of her hand. "That's odd," he murmured. "Usually by now I'd be curled up on the ground, crying for mercy."

"Haha," Lovina said in a dry voice. "Let's just get this over with," she mumbled.

Lovina raised her hand. She spread it out in front of her and examined it. She vied to play off of the Spaniard's anxiousness. She was going to draw this out for as long as she possibly could. She lived to make him tick.

Antonio grunted impatiently. With a coy smile, Lovina pressed her palm to his chest.

Her smile vanished in an instant. His chest was _hard_. What the fuck?! Was he part metal?! And why the fuck was his skin so smooth?!

 _It's ok Lovina. He's your boyfriend. You can touch him._

 _Great. Now it feels like I'm molesting him._

 _That's another way of looking at it..._

 _NOT HELPING!_

 _What the fuck. What the fuck. What the-Oh shit!_

The bastard was still there, smiling as he looked down to her expectantly.

"See," Lovina fibbed to him in a breathless whisper. "That wasn't so bad," she croaked.

Lovina spun on her heels. Her legs wobbled. She staggered off in the direction of the kitchen.

She was clearly about to lose her shit.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm making dinner before Feli gets home!" she snapped.

"But...it's one in the afternoon...?"

"FUCKING HELL BASTARD. CAN'T A WOMEN COOK IN PEACE HERE?"

The only peace that Lovina needed was a peace of mind.

Dem' abs though.

* * *

 **Arthur's POV:**

Arthur leaned back into his chair and sighed. "Cramming at the last minute is the worst possible way to retain information," he scolded. "If you want, I could always just tell you what's going to be on the final. It'd save you a lot of time."

Cheya looked up from the textbook that she was reading. She glared at him. "That's cheating!"

Arthur shrugged. Well. There went the obvious approach. He'd just have to drop subtle hints here and there. But then again, Cheya was a very capable student. She was one of select few who had actually managed to pull off an A on the previous midterm exam. She was sure to do well on the exam regardless.

Arthur was quick to change the subject. "Do you have any plans for the break?" he asked. Cheya heeded him no attention. She was too busy flipping through pages and highlighting information. Arthur cleared his throat to get her attention.

Cheya looked up again. She blushed under his stern gaze. Her lips curled into a quirky, apologetic smile. "Sorry...um. I don't know. Papa usually hosts a dinner on Christmas day. Oh! And for New Years Eve I usually go downtown to watch the fireworks. They usually throw a winter carnival. What about you?" she asked.

"I'll be spending the break with Alfred and Maddie." Arthur let out a woeful sigh. "Mum, Dad and Peter are visiting granny in England, and the rest of the lot decided to stay overseas for their break."

"That's good!"

Arthur cocked his head to the side. "Pardon me?"

"Maddie's hometown isn't that far away from mine. We'll be able to visit each other over the break!"

"And," Cheya gave him a hesitant look. "Perhaps you could meet my Papa? I mean...I still haven't told him about you yet...because...you know...our age difference."

Arthur smiled, effectively putting her worries to ease. "I'd love to."

"Great!...Hey, Arthur?"

"Yes, Love?"

"Why don't you tell me more about your family? You hardly ever talk about them."

"W-what do you want to know about them?" Arthur stammered. The last thing that he wanted to do was talk about his borderline insane family.

The Briton cringed. Allistair's gruff, smug voice rang in his ears:

" _Oi Artie! What's something that you and toilet paper have in common?"_

 _"You both kiss ass! BAHAHAHA!"_

Cheya looked at him with concern. "Arthur? Are you alright?"

Arthur deadpanned. Cheya must have been really worried. She didn't even refer to him as 'Browzilla'.

Did he really look that perturbed?!

"I'm quite alright love," Arthur reassured. "Although...there's not that much to say about my family..." If he could avoid the subject he would. There was a reason why Arthur enjoyed the school year so much. Every April, he dreaded moving back home. Living with his family was a real test of his sanity. He could only handle so much craziness at a time.

Cheya knew him all too well.

"Oh come now," she chided. "Now you're just avoiding the subject."

Arthur crossed his arms. "Fine!" he huffed. "Just... promise me that you won't get weirded out."

"Stop being so silly!"

Arthur laughed. It was moments like this that he would treasure forever. Perhaps Cheya didn't realize it, but it was the simple sentiments that made her shine in his eyes.

The Briton could tell that the French truly cared for him.

"Alright," Arthur conceded. "I'll tell you."

The idea of opening himself up to another person was new and scary to the Briton. He was nervous, but excited.

He was finally learning to trust again.

* * *

 **Cheya's POV:**

I giggled. Arthur was telling me embarrassing stories from his childhood. It warmed my heart to see him smile, laugh, and just relax for once. Between grading papers and attending his other classes, Arthur hadn't had much time for himself. So to see him enjoying his time; to see him joking and goofing off; to see him forget about his stresses...

Now that was something that I could watch all day.

He had such a gorgeous, genuine smile. It was a shame that he didn't sport it more often. Seeing Arthur like this made me realize why I had fallen for him in the first place. Putting aside his stubbornness, the Briton had a heart of gold.

But... he was also quite intuitive.

Arthur knew that something was wrong the moment that he laid his eyes on me. And boy was he ever right. After my fight with Gilbert, I had retreated into a state of shock. Perhaps even denial. I spent the past week holed up in my apartment. It was only until today that I had decided to venture outside of it.

I didn't want to get Arthur involved with my issues with Gilbert. I thought that it was best not to tell him. He had enough things to worry about. And although he was skeptical at first, Arthur stopped prying when I told him that I was fine.

The chat board on my laptop screen went off. I clicked on the facebook tab.

Speaking of Gilbert...

 _Gilbert: Hey...I'm really sorry about how I acted last week... Do you think that we could meet up tomorrow?_

 _Gilbert: I need to talk to you about something._

"Who is it?" Arthur asked.

"Gilbert."

"Hmmm. Is that the red-eyed demon douche or your Spanish friend?"

"Demon douche," I answered.

Normally I would have giggled at such a comment. I didn't. I was too nervous to do so. I could feel my anxiety rising by the minute. This was the first fight that I had ever had with Gilbert. If things went wrong, I could lose him. For good. He was my lifelong friend, and although I didn't reciprocate his feelings, I couldn't bear to let our friendship fall apart. We had shared way too many memories for that to happen.

 _Cheya: I'm sorry too._

 _Cheya: Meet me in front of the Gaul building at five?_

 _Gilbert: Sounds good. See you then I guess…_

...

 _Gilbert, as my friend, you will always be a part of me._

 _But you're not my other half._

* * *

 _ **Bonus Text Message Conversation:**_

 _Feli: Luddy!_

 _Ludwig: Yes?_

 _Feli: How are you (:_

 _Ludwig: I'm fine. You?_

 _Feli: I'm great! Can we play a game?_

 _Ludwig: Feli. I have a lot of homework to do..._

 _Feli: You're so boring!_

 _Feli: Fine._

 _Feli: I guess that I'll go then ):_

 _Feli: Good bye Luddy. I hope that you have a nice life._

 _Feli: Because I won't._

 _Feli: I'm going to grow up all alone._

 _Feli: At least Vina has Tonio._

 _Feli: But as for me?_

 _Feli: I'll be sitting on the couch, waiting for the day that you decide to play a game with me._

 _Feli: And on my gravestone, when I die, please put "Here lies an Italian who missed out on a game."_

 _Ludwig: Mein Gott, I'll play the damned game._

 _Ludwig: You're very sneaky you know that?_

 _Feli: Hehe ;)_

 _Feli: What's your favourite thing about me?_

 _Ludwig: That's not a game. It's a question._

 _Feli: Fine! I dare you to tell me!_

 _Ludwig: Uh….I don't know._

 _Feli: Hmmph! I'll go first!_

 _Feli: I like your eyes._

 _Ludwig: I like your eyes too._

 _Feli: WRONG! You have to choose something different._

 _Ludwig: I like you._

 _Feli: Aw! Luddy :3_

 _Ludwig: So..._

 _Ludwig: Is it true that you'll be living with your grandfather now?_

Feli: Si, why?

 _Ludwig: Don't worry about it._

 _Feli: Luddy tell me!_

Ludwig: I like pasta.

(Tactful distraction? Check)

 _Feli: You do?!_

Feli: OMG that's so crazy! I love pasta too!

 _Feli: Hehe~ we're perfect for each other (:_

* * *

Ludwig let out a deep, relieving breath. "Crisis averted" he mumbled.

Wouldn't want Feli to find about the date that he was planning, now would we?

* * *

Shout out to Efficient and Red-Hot Habanero for reviewing the last few Chapters. You guys truly make it a pleasure to write. I love it when you share your opinions!

TheBlueAcid: Just wait until you see how much of a dork Antonio's going to be in my mafia fic.

Red-Hot Habanero: I guess we'll never know muahaha. I think it's payback for Gilbert interrupting our precious Spamano moment back in chapter 13, no?

Efficient: Thank you :) I'm feeling better now (Hope your fever didn't come back)! And as for last chapter being the climax? Hmmm probably not. I would say next chapter if anything, but I do still have another few twists hiding up my sleeve.

Alyssa: Hi there! Um, I think there's been a bit of a mix up. When I said igloo I meant house? But just to be safe, and to avoid further confusion, I went back and changed the wording:"It was time to hide everything, gather up all of her belongings, and move up North." Sorry if I offended you, believe me, that's the last thing that I intended to do. Also, I'm super glad that you're enjoying the story :)


	22. Brace for the Wurst

**Brace for the Wurst:**

 **Gilbert's POV:**

Gilbert stood outside the Gaul building, shivering in the cold. He was waiting for Cheya to get back from her evening class. It was only five in the afternoon, but since it was winter, the sky was pitch black. All Gilbert could see was the little clouds of vapour whenever he exhaled. That and the dimly lit dorm building in front of him.

A wave of nervousness suddenly overcame him. Gilbert quelled it back with an indignant grunt. He needed to be strong. But most important of all he needed to be blunt. If he waited any longer, Cheya would surely slip from his grasp. Gilbert couldn't imagine living in a world without Cheya. But living in a world where she ignored him? That was unequivocally worse.

So today, in the midst of the cold, where his eyes stung from the wind and the sleet pelted him in the face, where his heart ached with longing, and where his fists shook with a restless uncertainty, Gilbert braced himself for the worse.

…

"Gilbert!"

Gilbert turned around. He spotted a petite figure stumbling towards him in the dark. When the figure walked under the light of the lamp post, the German's heart hammered to a stop. It was Cheya. Swallowing back his unease, Gilbert smiled. He watched Cheya trudge over to him in the snow. The French almost lost her footing. Her combat boots slid and skidded over the ice.

Cheya's eyes widened. "Woah!" she cried. Her arms flailed about as she tried to regain her balance.

Cheya giggled. Gilbert's spirits lifted at the sound of it.

"That's what you get for not wearing proper winter boots," Gilbert scolded.

Cheya pouted. A quirky smiled played onto her face as she walked over to him. Slowly, but surely. "Fashion always comes first," she scoffed with a scowl. "And you know how I feel about uggs." Cheya rolled her eyes at the very thought.

Gilbert simply shook his head. "You French and your fashion," he muttered.

Recognizing that their conversation was going nowhere, Cheya cleared her throat. She stuck her hands into the front pockets of her trench coat. Her feet shuffled on the ground. She glanced up at Gilbert through shy amber eyes and heavy lashes. "So, you wanted to talk?" she mumbled.

"Ja," Gilbert sighed, his chest heavy. "I'm so sorry Cheya!" he blurted out in a breathless whisper. "I shouldn't have gotten so mad. You're right, you don't have to tell me everything about your life. It's just...I never see you anymore..." Gilbert bit his lip. He sounded absolutely pathetic. Nothing was coming out right. He was practically begging for her sympathy. It disgusted him.

"N-no," Cheya stammered. She reached over to place a gloved hand onto his shoulder, looking very awkward while doing so. Gilbert tensed at her touch. It was good thing that it was dark outside. Otherwise she would have seen just how red his face was. "I was wrong too. I should have made more time for you. I've just been so busy with school and..." the French paused. Her brows furrowed with deliberation. She was conflicted and was coming up short for finding the right words to say.

"...other things," she finished.

 _Other things_. Gilbert's mood soured immediately. _Other things._ Things that she didn't want to tell him about. Things that she kept from him. He knew that he was being irrational, but his jealousy was getting the best of him. If he wasn't careful, he was sure to crack. He'd done it once before. He wouldn't rule it out from happening again. "I see," Gilbert mumbled in a lame, emotionless tone. "Well, that's not all that I came here to talk to you about."

"Oh," Cheya mumured, not looking surprised at all. Her eyes were sad. Gilbert's throat constricted at the sight of it. Was he making her feel uncomfortable again? Surely not. Perhaps his nerves really were getting the best of him.

"Seychelles Bonnefoy," Gilbert took a step forward. He wanted to close the gap between them. His crimson eyes twinkled with earnest. His voice shook ever so slightly as he raised a hand to cup her soft face. "In all my life, never have I met a person as awesome as you. I've felt this for a while now and I...I think that it's about time that I tell you."

Cheya gasped. Gilbert didn't notice the fear in her eyes. He was in a state of auto pilot. Numb to the cold and dulled of all senses. He was speaking the words that he had rehearsed so many times over. "One day a cocky little boy met a stubborn little girl under the tire swing at the park. But what he didn't know at the time, was just how much he would grow to care for her."

"No," Cheya whispered. A horrified look crossed over her face.

Gilbert didn't hear her.

"Over the years, he tried to ignore these feelings. To push them back. But he was never able to shake them off. And so, he decided to stand by her side. He watched out for her. He didn't dare to tell her how he truly felt."

"Oh God, Gilbert."

"He was arrogant. Stupid. Blind. A real douche bag, according to most people. But that didn't matter to him. All that ever mattered was what she thought of him. She lit up his entire world. She could always make him smile."

"She accepted him for who he was..." Gilbert paused. He let out a shaky breath and closed his eyes.

 _I don't want to wait anymore._

Clenching his free hand into a fist, Gilbert gave himself one last push.

"So...I guess what I'm trying to say..." Gilbert caressed a thumb over Cheya's cheek. Her entire body shivered. He bent over and placed his head closer to her paling face. She was clearly terrified. But once again, Gilbert didn't notice.

"W-what I'm trying to say is..." Gilbert repeated. But the words just wouldn't come out. At least not the way that he wanted them to.

Confused and flustered, Gilbert couldn't stop these next few words from spewing out of his mouth. His voice was hoarse. Panic swept over his body.

Fuck it.

"I love you Cheya!" he blurted out without thinking.

Gilbert's hand fell to his side. His arm numbly stilled to stop. His mouth parted open, dumb with shock. Cheya sniffled. She looked utterly devastated. Her shoulders slumped under the weight of an unknown burden.

"Gilbert," she started weakly.

"What is it, Hase?" Gilbert spoke in a dazed whisper. He couldn't believe what he had just done. After years of repressing his feelings, he had finally come out with it. He had let them all out. But frustratingly enough, he didn't feel relieved at all. The look Cheya was giving him was almost pitiful. Gilbert was too swept up in his desires to heed any attention to it. Gilbert then chose to do the unthinkable; he bent over and kissed her.

He kissed her with every burst of energy and raw emotion that he could muster. He felt as if he could cry out of ecstasy. He was soaring. But he was also quite grounded. He willed himself to exercise some form of restraint. So badly did he want to lift her up into his arms. To twirl her around. To hold her close to his chest and never let go.

"I love you," he breathed. Cheya's eyes widened when he crushed his lips to hers once more. "I love you Cheya. You damned, crazy woman." He was growling out of passion. He was too caught up in the moment to care.

"STOP IT!" Cheya shook her head furiously. She raised both hands to shove Gilbert in the chest. The German stumbled backwards.

Gilbert raised a shaking hand to his face. His fingers brushed against his lips. His eyes were downcast with hurt. He was struggling to regain his senses. But Gilbert was hardly aware of his surroundings anymore. He didn't know what to feel. Nor did he know how to act. He was now the one to be devastated.

"Why?" Gilbert choked out. He was hardly able to speak. He was gasping for air. His entire world was crumbling right before his very eyes.

Four words.

It only took four words to break his heart.

"I have a boyfriend."

* * *

 **Cheya's POV:**

Gilbert cupped a delicate hand to my cheek. His red eyes were soft. They grazed over my face with an affection so great that I nearly keeled to the ground under the pressure. My knees wobbled. My body swayed.

"Seychelles Bonnefoy...

"In all my life, never have I met a person as awesome as you. I've felt this for a while now and I...I think that it's about time that I tell you."

I gasped. It took everything in my will power not to scream. Because that's what I wanted to do. I wanted to run. To cry. To be anywhere but here. But I knew that I needed to tell the truth to Gilbert. I couldn't lead him on for any longer. Not now and not ever. He was confessing. Pouring out his feelings to me. All I could do was stand there and listen to what he had to say. I was helpless and hopelessly constrained by the one thing that I owed to Gilbert; he deserved to be heard.

"One day a cocky little boy met a stubborn little girl under the tire swing at the park. But what he didn't know at the time, was just how much he would grow to care for her."

"No," I mumbled inaudibly. I should have slapped his hand away. But I couldn't. I was frozen. Shocked despite the fact that I knew what he was going to say. I had known about his true feelings for so long now. But it was only until this moment that the consequences of such a revelation truly dawned on me.

If I rejected him. If I said that I didn't want him. I would tear into his confidence. I would tear entire his entire being. I would be labeling him as someone who wasn't worthy of my affection. Gilbert would never admit this, but behind his boisterous personalty, there was a man who strived to be accepted. A man who didn't value or put any faith in himself.

"Over the years, he tried to ignore these feelings. To push them back. But he was never able to shake them off. And so, he decided to stand by her side. He watched out for her. He didn't dare to tell her how he truly felt."

"Oh God Gilbert." I mouthed. My throat was hoarse with pain. I was drowning in Gilbert's wide, crimson eyes. I was being buried by own guilt. I was stupid. So very stupid. I didn't have the strength to face him like this. I couldn't bear to.

"He was arrogant. Stupid. Blind. A real douche bag, according to most people. But that didn't matter to him. All that ever mattered was what she thought of him. She lit up his entire world. She could always make him smile."

 _Don't say it. Please Oh God_ , my mind screamed but to no avail.

"She accepted him for who he was..." Gilbert paused.

"So...I guess what I'm trying to say..." He leaned closer. Hot breath tickled my face. His thumb swept over my cheek, in soft, caressing touches. I whimpered. I couldn't do it. I couldn't tell him. But doing this. Doing nothing. That was so much worse.

"W-what I'm trying to say is..." Gilbert bit his lip. He confusedly looked up to the sky for answers. That. That right there. That was why I couldn't say anything. Gilbert was so obviously unsure of himself. Who was I to wreck his confidence? But then again, who was I to lead him on?

I blinked back the burning sensation in my eyes. It didn't matter anymore. Everything that I did would end up in the destruction of his confidence. And if I wasn't careful, our friendship.

Gilbert let out a shaky breath. He closed his eyes. His hand tensed against my cheek.

He was shaking.

I did this. I did this to him.

"I love you Cheya!" he blurted out.

"Gilbert..." I squeaked. It was time. I had to say something. He deserves an explanation. He deserves an answer. He deserves...something much better than what I could ever give back to him. But for the life of me I couldn't find my voice.

"I love you." Gilbert's breath hitched. He bent down even closer. Our faces were within mere inches of each other. Never before had I felt so paralyzed. I couldn't move. Terror swept over my body. And then Gilbert did something that made me want to kick myself for not speaking up when I had the chance.

He kissed me.

"I love you Cheya. You damned crazy woman," he growled. A strong hand cupped the back of my head. His fingers knotted themselves in my hair. He crushed his lips to mine. They were desperate. The kiss was filled with a passion so fierce that it took me a moment to regain my bearings. But when I did, boy was I ever disgusted with myself.

My eyes widened in horror. I raised both hands and shoved Gilbert in the chest. He stumbled backwards. "STOP IT!" I screamed. Oh great. Leave it to me to find my voice when it was already far too late.

Gilbert took a few steps back. He was so obviously hurt. He raised a hand to his face. His fingers brushed over his lips. Gilbert himself looked shocked over what had just happened.

"Why?" he choked out. His voice cracked with uncertainty.

I swallowed. "I have a boyfriend." I spoke in a firm voice. The last thing that Gilbert needed right now was pity. I had to strike a balance between a gentleness that wouldn't disparage him and a respect that wouldn't insult his dignity as a person. You would think that tears would be streaming down my face. But at this point, I was over crying. I was over feeling anything for myself. The only person that I felt for was Gilbert. He was the only person who mattered to me right now. I had to make sure that I didn't lose him. I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if I did. After all, it was my selfishness that had caused this mess in the first place.

"Oh." Gilbert nodded, looking pained as he took several steps back. "OH." he repeated. This time his voice contained an undertone of bitter lividness. Gilbert's eyes flashed dangerously. They were filled with anger. "Tell me something," he whispered. His face seethed with a look so furious and unfamiliar that I nearly cried out in agony. I did it. I had finally broken him.

"Didn't you think that it would be a good idea to tell me that before, oh, I don't know...BEFORE I JUST POURED MY FUCKING HEART OUT TO YOU?" He bellowed.

I didn't argue. He had every right to be mad. But I knew that he wasn't done. And so, I bowed my head, preparing myself for the tears that would surely follow. I could tell by the way in which his voice wavered that Gilbert was crying. I can't remember the last time that I had ever seen him cry. He was too proud. But I, in all of my ignorance, had debilitated him to a point of no return.

When Gilbert didn't yell or lash out like I had expected him to, I looked up.

The sight that I saw next would haunt me for the rest of my life.

Tears streaked down his pale face. His chest wracked with sobs. Gilbert clenched his hands into tight fists. "Why didn't you tell me?" he hissed, his voice cracking once more.

"Who is he?" He demanded. Gilbert took a step forward. "WHO IS HE?" he bellowed. I didn't back away. I didn't dare to yell either.

"His name's Arthur. He's a TA," I choked. Yup there they were. Tears welled in my ears. I felt my throat constrict. "I wanted to tell you Gilbert. I really did. But..." I faltered. I cussed under my breath. The sight of Gilbert's crestfallen look was just too much for me to bear. He was utterly defeated.

Defeat, however, quickly turned into anger. Gilbert chuckled bitterly. Realization dawned on his face. "I'm sorry, but did you just say that he was a TA?"

I nodded. What else could I have done?

"Oh! That's rich!" Gilbert snorted. He disbelievingly shook his head back and forth. He was clearly in denial. "Well...best wishes to your life of ass kissing. Have fun being a teacher's pet!" Gilbert spun on his heels, scowling all the while. He waved good bye to me with a grandiose and overly sarcastic hand gesture.

I didn't retaliate. I had hurt him enough.

Gilbert's back was still turned to me when he spoke. "You fucked up Cheya. I trusted you. It's one thing to not return my feelings, but to lie to me? Some friend you are," he scoffed.

"HA! More like some friend you _were._ "

"GILBERT! WAIT!" I futilely cried out. "YOU'VE GOT EVERYTHING WRONG! IT'S NOT LIKE THAT AT ALL!"

"...Please..." I croaked. "You don't understand." But Gilbert was already long gone. And just like that, I had lost my best friend. I felt hollow. I was raw to the pain and loss of my own idiocy. I quelled back the scream that ached to be released from my chest.

"Care to explain why you were just kissing that guy?" I spun around. I gasped out in shock. Arthur was standing there. His face was red with anger. In his hands he held onto a box of gourmet cupcakes from the campus' bakery. The box was being currently being crumpled under the tight grip in which he held it with. Arthur's green eyes smoldered me from head to toe. If I hadn't been so devastated, I would have cowered in fear.

I took a few steps towards Arthur. I shook my head back and forth. My eyes pleaded with him. They were begging for him to listen. "No! Arthur! I-It's not what it looks like!" I reached out to clasp a hand over his shoulder. Arthur shrugged out of the way. Behind his glare was a look of hurt. In his eyes, I had just betrayed him.

My vision blurred. "Arthur," I whimpered. "Please. Let me explain."

"WHAT MORE COULD YOU POSSIBLY HAVE TO EXPLAIN TO ME?!" He screamed.

I opened my mouth to speak.

Arthur inhaled sharply. "You know what? Save it. We're done." He shoved the cupcake box into my chest. I almost dropped it because my hands were trembling so bad.

Arthur spared me one last loathsome look before he stormed off in the direction of the history building. "Enjoy," he sarcastically muttered under his breath.

"ARTHUR!" I called.

"ARTHUR!" I cried out again. I was full on bawling. Arthur didn't look back. A cold wind swept over me. I shivered. But it wasn't from the cold. It was from being empty. Everything and everyone that I cared about had just walked out of my life. I should have told Gilbert about Arthur. Heck. I should have told Arthur about Gilbert. Because if I had, none of this would have happened.

I was all alone and the only person that I could blame was myself.

* * *

 **Maddie's POV:**

Maddie sat on the living room couch. She was curled up in a warm blanket and was clutching onto a mug of equally warm tea. She was waiting for Cheya to get back. Maddie skimmed over the pages of her favourite romance novel. She didn't have the heart to truly read it. And how could she? Maddie was worried sick. It felt as if she was sitting in the waiting room of a hospital. She knew that something bad was going to happen. She just didn't know what or when.

Cheya's class finished at 4:30 and she was supposed to meet up with Gilbert at 5:00. It was now 5:45. The French should have been back by now. Maddie pretended to ignore her own anxiousness over the matter. It was for this reason that she had drawn the curtains shut. No matter how badly that she wanted to look down over the balcony and watch their meeting unfold, Maddie knew that it was none of her business. She would get all of her information from Cheya. That is, if she ever came back.

Maddie heard a soft knock on her front door. Fumbling to free herself from her blanket cocoon, the Canadian stumbled forward. She nearly tripped over her maple leaf slippers while doing so. Maddie opened the door. She was forced to do a double take when she saw the person standing before her. Maddie knew that it would be bad. But this? This was a catastrophe.

Cheya's face and eyes were red and puffy from crying. In her hand she held onto a half-crushed box of gourmet cupcakes. Judging by the frosting caked onto her lips, the French had already eaten some of them. But that wasn't Maddie's greatest concern at the moment. Cheya was full on bawling; uncontrollably. Her mascara ran down her face in smudgy, black clumps.

"Oh Cheya. What happened?" Maddie whispered. She was quite surprised. How do you console someone who had just been devastated?

Cheya didn't answer her.

The French pushed past the stunned Canadian.

Cheya shrugged off her coat. She practically sprinted into the apartment. With a great wail, Cheya jumped onto the couch. She was lying face down and her face was buried deep into one of the couch pillows. The cup cake box fell to the ground with an unceremonious plop. The box popped open; half of the dozen cupcakes had already been eaten.

Sighing, Maddie walked over to the couch. With tender hands, she lifted up Cheya's legs, swung them to the side, and sat down on the couch herself. Maddie didn't say anything at first. She merely just rubbed a hand over her sobbing friend's back. She was letting Cheya catch her breath. She would wait before she asked any more questions.

A few minutes passed by.

Maddie was the first one to break their silence. "Do you want to talk about it?" she asked softly.

The Canadian patted the hiccuping French's back.

"WHAT'S THERE TO TALK ABOUT?" Cheya despaired. Her voice was muffled. She let the pillow absorb most of her misery. "Gilbert won't speak to me and A-A-Arthur..." Cheya's voiced caved in. The French let her body succumb to another fit of painful sounding sobs.

"What about Arthur?" Maddie cooed. "Honey, I know it's hard. But I can't help you if you don't tell me what happened."

"Gilbert kissed me and he saw it."

"Erm...pardon me...?"

"GILBERT CONFESSED HIS LOVE, KISSED ME, AND BROKE OFF OUR FRIENDSHIP WHEN I TOLD HIM THAT I WAS DATING ARTHUR. BUT OF COURSE ARTHUR JUST HAD TO BE THERE TO SEE EVERYTHING...

Cheya pounded her fists against the couch.

"A-ARTHUR...ARTHUR THINKS THAT I CHEATED ON HIM...H-HE...*hiccup* HE BROKE UP WITH MEEEE!" Cheya sniffled. She sat up and angrily rubbed at her eyes.

"AND HE DIDN'T EVEN GIVE ME A CHANCE TO EXPLAIN MYSELF EITHER! HE JUST TURNED AROUND AND LEFT! NO WORDS! NOTHING!" she wailed.

The room fell silent after that. Cheya appeared to calm down. She had just released most of her frustrations. The French took a deep breath. Her voice lowered to a faint, hardly coherent whisper. "I didn't want Arthur to worry about me. That's why I didn't tell him about Gilbert...That's why I-I..."

Cheya didn't have the heart to finish.

"I get it." Maddie soothed a hand over Cheya's trembling frame. She patted the French's hunched back. "You didn't want to cause Arthur any more stress. Right?"

The French silently nodded her head.

Maddie was surprised by how calm she was acting. She closed her eyes. She was still trying to make sense of Cheya's cluttered, sob-induced information. Gilbert kissed Cheya. Arthur witnessed this. Arthur jumped to the conclusion that Cheya had been cheating on him. Arthur broke up with Cheya. Gilbert ended his friendship with Cheya because of her relationship with Arthur. It was quite simple to figure out, really. Insane? Unfathomably. Fixable? Perhaps so.

Maddie stood up. Cheya squinted up at her through tear streaked eyes. "Where are you going?" she asked in between sniffles.

The Canadian scoffed, albeit lightly. "I'm fixing things, what does it look like?" Maddie bent over and picked up the cupcake box from the ground. She shed Cheya with a small, warm smile and handed the box to her.

"Try not to choke from all the sugar, eh?"

Cheya pushed the cupcake box aside. She moved to stand up.

Maddie intercepted her. She held Cheya down by pressing both hands to the French's shoulders. Maddie rolled her eyes. She ignored her friends frustrated and disgruntled sighs of protests.

Cheya sniffled weakly. "I can solve my own problems. You don't have to get involved."

"At least let me try to explain things to Arthur for you," Maddie offered. "It's pretty damn hard to reason with him when he's angry. Especially when you're the reason that he's angry in the first place."

"O-oh. I see." Cheya gave Maddie a hesitant nod. She appeared to relax a little. "I need...I need some time to calm down and think."

"Take all the time that's necessary. I won't be too long. If you need to reach me, I'll only be a call away." Maddie smiled. She then turned on her heels and set off for the front door.

The Canadian shrugged on her coat. She turned back one last time to look at her grief-stricken friend. "Maple. I didn't think that things would get this bad, " she whispered to herself in disbelief.

* * *

 **Maddie's POV:**

On her way to the history building, Maddie decided to make a quick stop at the Sparta dorm. She could always explain things to Arthur later. It was best if she gave the Briton some time to cool down anyways. The only thing on her mind was Gilbert. The love of his life had just rejected him. And although he liked to put up a tough guy act, Maddie knew that there was a much more delicate side to his brashness. Of course, Gilbert would never admit to such a thing. But Maddie had seen this side of him. And it was this small pocket of hope that she held onto. Even though it would hurt her in the process, Maddie was determined to help Gilbert overcome his grief. She wanted to support him. To be the shoulder that he could lean onto when he didn't have the strength to stand on his own. But most important of all, Maddie wanted to be there for him as a friend.

She could feel it. She was overcoming her shyness. And the only person to thank for this was Gilbert. He was there for her whenever she needed that small push of encouragement. It was up to Maddie to become the supporter. She loved Gilbert with all her heart, boisterous personality included. Sure, Gilbert could be obnoxious at times -most of the time, to be more accurate- but what mattered most was the fact that he cared. He cared so much more than what he had led others to think.

He listened to her. But what truly set him apart from all others was the fact that Gilbert enjoyed hearing what she had to say. With him, Maddie didn't feel invisible. She would be forever indebted to him. Gilbert had blessed her with the greatest gift of all: a voice. No longer was Maddie afraid to speak. And no longer was she inclined to hide in the shadows. Gilbert had taught her that she had her own place in this world. Just like everybody else.. But Maddie already knew where her place was. Her place was with Gilbert.

"OI! MADDIE! LONG TIME NO SEE!" Maddie groaned. Matthias' pestiferous shouts echoed behind her.

The Canadian ignored the Dane. She continued to trudge forward. She had much more important things to attend to. Talking to a drunk Dane certainly wasn't one of them.

"AH! I SEE HOW IT IS!" Matthias laughed. It sounded more like a bark than anything else. "PLAYING HARD TO GET? FINE! I'll PLAY TOO!"

The Canadian kept walking. She took pleasure in the Dane's silence. Thankfully, no footsteps clambered after her. A door behind her slammed shut.

"PAY ME A VISIT SOMETIME~!"

So much for playing hard to get.

"Yeah as if that'd ever happen," Maddie mumbled to herself.

The Canadian stopped in her tracks. She could hear the echos of loud, booming music. It was so loud that both the walls and floor of the hallway had begun to vibrate. As she walked farther down the hallway, she had a good guess as to whose dorm room the music was coming from.

Maddie stopped in front of Gilbert's dorm room. She raised a hand to warily knock on the door. Almost immediately, a wild-eyed Antonio pulled open the door.

The Spaniard cried out in relief. The Canadian was there to save the day.

"Oh thank GOD!" Antonio furiously shook his head back and forth. "You deal with him!" Antonio spared Maddie one last sympathetic glance before he bolted out of the dorm room. The Spaniard nearly tripped over his feet. Maddie longingly watched him round the corner. Lucky bastard.

The door hung wide open. Maddie was slow to step into the small dorm room. She shivered upon entering it. Despite it being the middle of winter, the window was cracked open. A cold draft swept across the room. Maddie spotted Gilbert near the window. He was wearing a black muscle shirt and matching work out sweats. The German's breathing was ragged. He lifted and curled weights at an unsustainable pace.

Cupping a hand over both ears, Maddie walked deeper into the room. She crossed over to the night stand table that rested between the room's two twin poster beds. A boom box sat on top of it. Maddie didn't hesitate to turn if off. Gilbert was now aware of her presence. He carelessly dropped his weights to the floor. The thud caused Maddie to flinch. Gilbert's appearance, however, made her cringe. His face was red with exertion. Perhaps even a bit of crying (?)

Gilbert turned around to glare at her. "Turn on the music." He spoke in a cold tone.

The German turned his back to the Canadian.

Maddie didn't have time to come up with a witty rebuttal. "NO."

"MADDIE! DON'T _MAKE ME_ REPEAT MYSELF...-" Gilbert's head snapped in her direction. The angry look on his face dissipated. The worried look on Maddie's face had unnerved him.

"Fine." He shrugged. "Whatever." Gilbert bent over to pick up his weights.

The German resumed with his work out.

Maddie grit her teeth. She walked over to the window, purposely brushing shoulders with Gilbert as she walked past him.

The Canadian slammed the window shut.

"What the fuck was that for?!"

Maddie ignored him. It was time to cut the crap. There was no way to do this without being blunt.

"I came here to talk."

It didn't take Gilbert long to snap back at her. "There's nothing to talk about!" Maddie knew that something like this was going to happen. Gilbert hadn't told her about his problems with Cheya. So her being here would be extremely random in his eyes.

The Canadian sat down on the bed closest to the window. Her eyes never wavered from their staring of the German. She watched him in a mutually stubborn and eerie silence.

The scent of beer attacked her nostrils. It was then that Maddie's nose led her to the side of the bed. Tucked halfway under the bed was a box filled with nearly two dozen empty beer bottles.

"Did you drink that all TODAY?" Maddie screamed. Any patience that she had was now gone. Gilbert was being reckless; she needed to stop him.

Gilbert turned his head to the side. He shed her with another cold and unfeeling look. "I'm having a real shit day, Maddie."

The German pointed at the door.

"I don't want to hurt you. It'd be probably be best if you left."

"NO!"

"LISTEN TO ME!" Gilbert bit down on his anger. "I can't promise that I won't be an asshole to you. Fuck. I'm already being one right now, aren't I?"

Maddie shook her head in protest.

"Please," he whispered. "Just leave me be."

Maddie crossed her arms into a defiant stance. "I'm staying."

Gilbert glared at her. "Nein. I _want_ you to leave."

Maddie didn't know what to do. She had one last trick hidden up her sleeve. Perhaps it wasn't fair of her to use it. But she had been left with no other choice. "You're in love Cheya, aren't you?"

Gilbert tensed. For once in her life, Maddie didn't hesitate to speak. She couldn't afford to doubt herself right now. "I know about everything, Gilbert. If you want to talk to me about it I'm here for you. I understand how hard it is. But believe me when I tell you that the worse thing you can do is keep it all to yourself."

Gilbert inhaled sharply. "How did you find out?"

Maddie shook her head. "It doesn't matter. What matters is how you're coping."

Once more, the weights dropped to the ground with a thickening thud. Gilbert grumbled curses in German.

The German walked over to the window.

A pale fist banged against the glass window pane.

"I have no reason to cope. She lied to me. That's all there is to it."

Maddie sighed. "Gilbert, she wanted to tell you."

"Bullshit!"

"When have I ever lied to you?"

Gilbert snorted.

"She wasn't allowed to tell _anyone_. If the wrong person found out about their relationship, Arthur would lose his job."

Silence.

"I don't get it...Where do you fit into this whole thing?" Gilbert moaned pitifully.

The German let his head fall against the window. He was utterly defeated. He let it rest there.

Maddie was just glad that she had gotten him to talk. "Arthur's my cousin. But both of you guys are my friends. I refuse to stand by and watch everything fall to shit."

"Tsk! Tsk! Maddie," Gilbert chuckled bitterly. "Language."

"THAT'S NOT IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW!" Maddie shouted. She was quick to lower her voice. Getting angry at him wasn't going to solve anything. "Gilbert, Arthur broke up with her. H-he...He saw..."

"He saw what?"

Maddie bit her lip.

 _Just say it damnit._

"Arthur saw you kiss Cheya. He thinks that she cheated on him."

Gilbert scoffed.

Maddie's eyes widened. Violet orbs pleaded with crimson. "Gilbert, please. At least listen to what I have to say. Cheya's absolutely devastated right now. She's just as hurt as you are."

"I'M NOT HURT."

"YES YOU ARE!" Maddie stood up. "Get over yourself, will you? I'm sick and tired of this too proud to feel crap. Don't you dare tell me that her rejection didn't affect you at all. Because not only would you be lying to me, but you would also be lying to yourself."

Maddie shook her head in disbelief.

"I just don't get it! Why is it so hard for you to admit that you care?!"

"It's not about admitting that I care. It's about feeling worthless. I'm so fucking pathetic Maddie," Gilbert lips began to tremble. "Thirteen years. I loved her for thirteen years. But one day. It only took me one day to ruin everything."

Angry tears streamed down Maddie's pallid cheeks. "You need to stop judging yourself so harshly, damnit!"

The Canadian wiped at her face.

"If you were so worthless, would I be crying for you? Would I be here if you weren't worth anything to me? My God Gilbert, you're so ignorant."

Gilbert let out a shaky breath. His back was still turned to her. Maddie decided to use this to her advantage. If he couldn't bear to look at her, then she would come to him.

"You idiot," she scolded. Maddie wrapped her arms around Gilbert's waist. She buried her face into the back of his shirt. "I care about you. Antonio cares about you. Cheya cares about you. We're all here for you, waiting. All you have to do is trust us."

* * *

 **Gilbert's POV:**

Unfeeling, Gilbert looked out the window. His eyes carelessly glanced at the snow being swept around by the wind. Nothing mattered anymore. Nothing was worth paying attention to. "You need to stop judging yourself so harshly, damnit!"

Maddie's voice cracked. Gilbert tensed.

"If you were so worthless, would I be crying for you? Would I be here if you weren't worth anything to me? My God Gilbert, you're so ignorant."

A shaky breath escaped from Gilbert's lips. His eyes burned, threatening to spill more tears. Gilbert grit his teeth to hold them back. If he could help it, he wouldn't let himself cry. Not here. Not in front of Maddie. He'd already made her cry enough.

"You idiot," she scolded. Gilbert froze. Two slender arms wrapped around his waist. "I care about you. Antonio cares about you. Cheya cares about you. We're all here for you, waiting. All you have to do is trust us."

Gilbert blinked. He clenched his fists and closed his eyes. He was slowly warming up to Maddie's touch. She held onto him. Gilbert too tried to hold onto himself. But it was proving to be increasingly difficult. He was one fuse short from shutting down entirely. Maddie was right. He was being ignorant. But he was also quite mistaken. Things _did_ matter in life. The loyal friend who wept for him mattered. Things were worth living for again.

He was far from alone.

Maddie sobbed into his back. Gilbert merely stood. He was silent and stunned. Tears of his own began to trickle down his face. Gilbert didn't dare to turn around. He couldn't bear to face Maddie like this.

Gilbert patted Maddie's hand. "You're right. I am being ignorant. So I'll just be selfish and take up your time instead."

Maddie giggled. Gilbert smiled weakly. "Fine by me," she hiccuped. "I can't imagine living in a world without your 'awesome presence.'"

 _And I can't imagine living in a world without you, Maddie._

 _Silly girl; why do you bother to put up with me?_

* * *

 **Maddie's POV:**

After making a quick trip to the campus drug store, Maddie quietly tip toed into Gilbert's dorm room. The lights were off. Faint snores could be heard to her left. Maddie flicked on the lights. She sighed when she realized that Gilbert had fallen asleep. The German was sprawled out on his back, sleeping in an impossibly awkward position. His hands lay behind his head and his legs were crossed Indian style. He looked strangely comfortable.

Maddie crept over to his bedside. She gently placed the pack of Advil that she had bought for him on his night side table. Gilbert was going to need it. After drinking nearly two packs of beer, he was sure to have a killer hangover in the morning.

Gilbert changed positions. He tossed about in his sleep, mumbling incoherently under his breath. Maddie froze. Pale, white hair stuck to his sticky forehead. He had a serene, relaxed expression on his face. It was a face that was free of all worries.

Maddie preferred to see Gilbert like this. It killed her to know that he had been crying earlier, albeit him trying to hide it from her. Unsuccessfully, might she add. But if sleeping meant that he could achieve a peace of mind, even temporarily, then Maddie would accept this distraction with open arms. Of course, she would still worry about him. But at least, for now, she could allow herself to relax.

Maddie turned around only to stop when Gilbert's mumbling grew louder. "I'm sorry Maddie," he breathed. Maddie's breath hitched. "Dontleaveme," he muttered.

The Canadian loomed over the German. "Youmeansomuchtome."

Maddie waited, hoping to hear more of what he had to say. But it appeared that Gilbert had already fallen sleep again. Or rather, he had fallen into a much deeper sleep.

Gently, Maddie swept a hand over Gilbert's face. She smoothed back some of the sticky pale locks that brushed over his eyes. Maddie then reached over to grab a spare blanket from the foot of the bed. She carefully placed it over Gilbert's unmoving frame.

Once more, the Canadian bent over to peer down at the German. She was conflicted. Yet, she knew what she wanted to do. Drawing closer, Maddie brushed her soft lips over his chapped and slightly cracked ones. It was a chaste, feathery kiss. She closed her eyes and felt an immense amount of blood rush to her face.

"Good night, Gilbert," Maddie whispered.

The Canadian drew away and stood up straight. Good; she hadn't woken him up.

As she turned on her heels to leave, Maddie couldn't shake off the warm feeling that had spread from her lips to the rest of her body. It was a sensation that made her tingle with unease. Odd, yet seemingly comforting at the same time. She knew that she loved him. But this much? Life was too cruel.

* * *

 **Thanks to:** Red-Hot Habanero, Efficient, and PastelPandemonium for reviewing last chapter!


	23. Amoralitea

**Amoralitea:**

 **Natalia's POV:**

Natalia was sitting on her bed. She was flipping through her notes absent mindedly. Her goal was to study. Unfortunately, doing such a thing was impossible when you had your loud mouthed boyfriend sitting next to you. Alfred was streaming a football game on his laptop. At least that was what Natalia presumed that he was doing anyways. Americans tended to get excited for the dumbest things. Football was just one of them.

"YEAH BABY!" Alfred hollered. Natalia glared at him. Alfred swallowed nervously, his adam's apple bobbing. "Sorry," he whispered with a wink. Natalia rolled her eyes and resumed with her studies. But, no matter how hard that she tried, she just couldn't concentrate. For better of for worse, Alfred always made her feel on edge. He muddled her mind. He confused her. Natalia didn't know what to do with him. One part of her wanted to strangle him; whereas, the other wanted to be wrapped under his strong arms. To be close to him.

Exhibit A: She had just distracted herself by thinking about him again. Natalia sighed. If she wasn't careful, her marks were going to suffer. And who knows what Ivan would do if that happened. Ivan had a reputation to uphold at the University. It was expected that Natalia would fall in his footsteps. Not to mention that fact that Ivan was still furious with her. Ivan had made it clear that he didn't approve of her relationship with Alfred.

This pained Natalia very much. Ivan was disappointed in her. He was one of the few people that Natalia brought her problems to. Sure, she had Alfred now, but the American wasn't there back when things had gotten tough in high school. When Natalia's mother died, she had no choice but to move in with her older sister, Katyusha. And things didn't get easier from there. Katyusha had to work two full-time jobs just to support the both of them. Of course, Ivan helped out to the best of his ability, but asides from the financial support, Ivan was the shoulder that Natalia could always lean on.

Natalia could never pretend with Ivan; he had a knack for seeing right through her. He helped Natalia overcome her grief for her mother's passing. He taught her that it was alright to be disappointed in life. But most important of all, Ivan had encouraged her to move on. To make something better out of herself. Ivan believed in her. And Natalia believed in him. But now, Natalia wasn't so sure if that bond still existed.

Natalia shook her head, snapping herself out of her thoughts. There was no point in ruminating over something that would more than likely be fixed with time. Eventually, Ivan and Alfred would have to come to terms with each other. Right? They'd have to. That is, if they wanted to be a part of her life. Both of them were important to Natalia. She wasn't about to ignore one in preference of the other. It wouldn't be fair.

With a grand sigh, Natalia shut her textbook. None of the information was sticking in her head. If she studied for any longer, she was sure to get a migraine. In fact, she could already feel the beginnings of one developing. Now pair that with Alfred's obnoxious yelling. Natalia didn't even bother to snap at him this time. She didn't have the energy to do so. Natalia shuffled closer to Alfred, lifted his arm, and settled her head onto his chest. It was a pleasant feeling to relax with him. They did this quite often. They didn't speak, but rather, they enjoyed each other's company. The couple were lounging about, comfortable and satisfied.

Alfred shut his laptop and put it to the side. He tucked his chin over Natalia's head. "Is everything alright, Nat? It isn't like you to put off your work like that."

"I'm fine," Natalia waved him off. "It's my last exam. I could care less." Alfred snorted at this.

Alfred gently ran his fingers through her hair. "Have you thought about it yet?" he asked. Natalia tensed under his embrace. It wasn't long ago that Alfred had brought up the topic of her visiting him over the break. His parents would be off on business, which meant that he had a free house for most of the Christmas break. It saddened Natalia to hear this. The holidays was supposed to bring families together, not separate them. But Natalia wasn't sure if she was ready for such a commitment. Visiting was one thing, but sleeping over was another. That was next level relationship commitment. It was something that Natalia was skeptical to approach.

Natalia picked at her long, manicured nails. "I don't know yet," she answered. Her voice was wary with hesitation.

Sensing her change of mood, Alfred pressed his lips to the top of her head. He grabbed her hand, humming softly all the while. Alfred rubbed a consoling thumb over the back of Natalia's palm. "Alright," he mumbled into her hair. He sounded disappointed. "Take your time. There's no rush to answer."

Natalia suddenly felt guilty. She knew that Alfred _really_ wanted her to stay with him.

The only thing that prevented her from answering him was fear.

...

Neither Alfred nor Natalia spoke. A half hour passed. The silence was starting to get to Natalia. Normally, she would be comfortable with such a silence. But, as of now, Natalia knew that Alfred's muteness was not of out of relaxation. He was moping. Natalia thought it better to face him. She shrugged off his arm and twisted around to get a good look at him. His cerulean blue eyes were down cast into a pout. Alfred reluctantly looked down to meet her gaze. Natalia melted. He just looked so...crestfallen and crushed. Natalia had let him down. She hated seeing him like that.

"Alfred?" Natalia started. She raised a hand to cup his cheek. "It's not that I don't want to come ( _because I do_ )...it's just..." Natalia faltered.

"What is it, sweetheart?" Alfred whispered. He pulled her closer to his chest. Natalia's head rested against the crook of his neck. She was able to find her voice much easier than before. She was...comfortable. "You'll probably think that I'm stupid for saying this. But...I'm scared to sleepover."

Alfred chuckled. "Is that all? Tsk! Silly Nat, my house if free of ghosts! I already salted...er...never mind." Alfred grunted awkwardly. Natalia resisted the immense urge to facepalm. Was he really that clueless? Was he really going to make her say it out loud? Realizing that she had placed too much faith in Alfred's deductive skills, Natalia let out a loathsome sigh. God. Was he ever dense.

Alfred was making this unnecessarily difficult. Natalia would just have to be blunt. "No! You idiot! I meant sleeping in the same room as you!" she snapped.

If Natalia could bury her face farther into his neck, she would. She was unbearably embarrassed.

This comment clearly caught Alfred off guard. He didn't say anything. This confused Natalia. She looked up to meet his now beet red face. (Oh...) Stifling a giggle, Natalia raised a slender finger to poke him in the cheek. It was hot. "What?" she purred. Natalia was no longer embarrassed. Alfred's discomfort helped lighten her mood. She was a loud and proud sadist after all.

"Surely you knew what I was talking about? Right...Alfie?" Oh yes. She was going to use that nickname. Natalia felt no shame in the matter. In fact, she silently thanked Arthur for telling her about that godawful nickname.

Natalia was smug with glory. She relished in Alfred's nervousness. "T-that's not what I what I meant!" Alfred stammered. "You don't have to 'sleep sleep' with me, but you can sleep with me. Uh...unless you want to 'sleep sleep' with me because that's c-cool too.' Alfred's voice cracked. He was quick to mask it with a none too subtle cough.

"Uh...HAHAHAHA! What was I talking about again? Alfred chuckled nervously. Sweat beaded on his brows.

A wry grin twisted onto Natalia's lips. Alfred had just walked, or rather talked himself straight into a trap. "You were talking about 'sleeping' with me. You seemed rather nervous about it."

Natalia stood up from the bed. Alfred's panting grew louder. His glasses began to fog over. This took hot and bothered to a whole other level. It was almost comical. Natalia enjoyed every single minute of it. "But...we don't have to 'sleep' with each other if you don't want to. To think that I was going to let you see my bras and panties!" she teased.

Natalia was working off of a gamble. In reality, sleeping over at Alfred's house still made her nervous. But she supposed that teasing him about it wouldn't hurt. And besides, this little ruse of hers was quite the effective distraction. She'd completely forgotten about how much studying she had to do!

Natalia pranced over to the bedroom door. Alfred looked up to her with horror. If this was a cartoon, blood would be gushing out of his nose. "Pity." Natalia flipped her long platinum hair over her shoulder. A shark-like grin crept onto her face. "You know how much I hate waiting."

Natalia didn't give Alfred a chance to respond. She left the room and shut the door behind her. "One..." Natalia lifted a slender finger. "Two..." she counted.

"Three...Four...Five..."

THUMP!

Ah. Yes. That was the sound that she was looking for. Alfred stumbled out of bed only to slam face first into the door.

"WAIT NAT! I DIDN'T MEAN IT!" Alfred wailed. He pounded his fists against the bedroom door. "COME BACK!"

But it was already far too late. Natalia stepped out of her apartment.

The Belarusian clacked forward. The American sprinted after her.

"I LIKE BRAS AND PANTIES!"

"He's such a moron," Natalia grinned to herself.

 _Who am I kidding? I'm the moron who fell in love with him._

* * *

 **Cheya's POV:**

I seriously don't think that my life could get any worse. The past few days have been a complete and utter train wreck. I tried to call Gilbert; no answer. I visited his dorm room; he wasn't there. It was if Gilbert had disappeared off of the face of the entire campus.

And if that wasn't bad enough, I've had no success in getting in touch with Arthur. Office hours were closed for the rest of the semester, and since classes had finished running, all opportunities to speak to him were cut short. I couldn't visit him at his apartment either. Even when we were dating, Arthur didn't like me going over there. Can you imagine how angry he'd be if I just showed up there out of the blue?

Oddly enough, I've been quite numb to this situation. Being ignored must do that to a person.

Mon Dieu. My life sucked.

I picked up my phone. I dialed up Gilbert's phone number again. I didn't expect him to answer. But I had to try. Right? I was done being passive. It was about time that I did something. I needed to fight for Gilbert and Arthur. It was my fault that I had lost them in the first place. And it was up to me to bring them back. That is, if they wanted to come back.

The phone picked up after one ring. I nearly jumped out of surprise. "Gil!" I croaked.

 _"No, chica. It's just me. Gilbert refuses to answer his phone._ " Antonio sighed.

"Oh," I muttered. I tried my best not to sound disappointed. "How is he?"

 _"SWELL!_ " Gilbert yelled in the background. I winced at the obvious sarcasm.

 _"HEY! If you have so much to say, then why don't YOU talk to her?_ " Antonio paused, waiting his friend's sarcastic rebuttal. But alas, Gilbert had said his spiel and that was it.

I bit my lip. "Don't be too hard on him, Toni. He has every right to be mad at me."

 _"Excuse me one moment_ ," Antonio exhaled. The static and shuffling made it sound like he was walking. " _Since SOMEONE doesn't want to talk to her, I'll be taking this conversation outside!_" he snapped.

Once more, Antonio didn't get the response that he had been hoping for. In fact, he didn't get any response at all.

 _A door slammed shut._

" _Ok; what the heck happened between you two_?"

I groaned. "I'm guessing that Lovina told you everything?"

 _"Si, she did."_

"I'm so sorry, Toni. I wanted to tell you-"

" _Ah! Forget about it! Besides, there's much more important things to worry about_ ," Antonio chided. He hummed in thought. " _Huh. We've all been friends for so long. I don't think that things have ever gotten this crazy_..."

Antonio chuckled nervously. It was hard for him to take things seriously. It made him uncomfortable.

" _He loved you Cheya. Did you know that_?"

"I didn't find out until recently," I mumbled. Merde! My voice cracked. "I don't know what to do, Toni. What am I supposed to say to him? Sorry I broke your heart? It'd almost be cruel to expect him to forgive me so fast. But...I-I can't just sit here and do nothing either!"

" _No, you're right_ ," Antonio hummed. He sounded as if he was in deep thought. " _More than anything, I think that Gilbert's angry with himself. He wanted to tell you sooner_."

"That's crazy!" I protested. "I-I...don't think that him telling me sooner would have made that much a difference. Gilbert's like a brother to me."

Antonio clicked his tongue. "I thought so. Ah well, there's nothing much that we can do. I'll try my best to calm him down, but for the mean time, you guys should keep your distance. Gil needs some time to cool down. And I'm pretty sure that you have other things to take care of, no?"

"Yes, but that doesn't mean that I can't-"

" _LALALA I don't want to hear it!~"_

"TONI!" I spluttered.

 _"You heard me~! Give it some time. We have the entire break to fix things."_

 _Speaking of the break..._

"Oh! Before I forget! Papa's picking me up Sunday afternoon. Do you guys want a lift home?"

I took Antonio's silence as my answer.

"Er...never mind." It didn't sound like a bad idea until I said it out loud. How stupid of me.

" _Mierda_!" Antonio cursed. " _He's back at it again!_ "

A sense of unease settled in my stomach.

"Back at what?" I asked.

" _Blasting music, chugging beer, and working out_."

"Oh," my voice deflated. "Well, I won't keep you any longer then... Take care of him, alright?"

 _"Of course! You worry to much! Things can only get better from here~!_ "

"Wow. That was deep," I remarked. I wasn't in the mood to laugh. Antonio's optimism over the matter was draining.

"Bye Chica," Antonio sighed. I could tell by the tone of his voice that he was rolling his eyes.

I said my goodbyes and hung up the phone.

Great. Now what? I suppose that I could try visiting Arthur at his office. But there was no guarantee that he would be there. Actually. That doesn't seem like such a bad idea after all. I only had one exam left before the semester ended. So I wasn't too busy. Besides; the sooner that I saw Arthur, the better. A talk between us was long over due. And the longer that I dragged it out, the lesser the chance that we would be able to work things out. God forbid. I don't know what I'd do it that happened. You know? I never told Arthur that I loved him. Not once. It's funny. You don't realize just how much you care for someone until their gone. I shook my head. Now was not the time to wallow about.

I grabbed my coat, shrugged it on, and stepped out of my room. I trudged downstairs. Maddie was sitting in the living room, huddled over the coffee table, studying. Papers and stray sticky notes were scattered everywhere. I quietly tiptoed past her. The jingle of my keys gave me away.

Maddie looked up from her textbook. Her glasses were held askew on her pallid face. "Going somewhere?" she asked.

I nodded. "Hopefully I can catch Arthur this time." Maddie grimaced.

Following through with her promise, the Canadian had tried to reach the Briton at his office. But of course, with my luck, he wasn't there.

Eventually, Maddie got in contact with him over the phone. She explained everything. But it didn't do much. Arthur was furious. And nothing that anyone said or did could change that.

"Don't take too long, eh? I'm making pancakes for dinner." Judging by the sympathetic look on Maddie's face, she didn't think that I would get to see Arthur. I didn't blame her. This must have been the fifth time that I had gone out looking for him. But, even if I came up empty handed, I wasn't going to stop trying. I loved Arthur. I refused to sit back and watch him walk out of my life. At least, not without putting up a good fight.

"Sounds good! Try not to hog all the maple syrup when I'm gone."

"No promises."

I feigned one last smile before I walked out of the apartment.

 _Arthur, whether you like it or not, you're at least going to hear me out._

* * *

 **Cheya's POV:**

I took a deep breath and stepped out of the elevator. I walked in the direction of Arthur's office. I was scared. I knew that he was furious with me. He had every reason to. But that still didn't spare me from the hurt. The image of him from the other night still haunted me. It relentlessly poked at my conscience. His eyes were sad. But the anger behind them spelled betrayal and pain. Arthur trusted me. In his eyes, I had let him down. Even after I explain everything to him, I don't think that I could ever regain his trust. At least, not as easily. Arthur told me everything about himself. And yet, I couldn't find it in me to reciprocate such a simple favour. It wasn't fair and things needed to change.

I was beginning to have my doubts. Should I even be here right now? Letting down Arthur was probably one of the worse mistakes of my life. But expecting Arthur to accept my apology with open arms? Now that was probably worse. Who was I to expect him to open up to me again? It took him nearly two months before he revealed any intimate secrets to me. My optimism over the matter was like a slap in the face. It was borderline selfish.

But a voice in the back of my mind told me to keep fighting. To hold onto Arthur even if he had already let go. Yes. It killed me to do so. I couldn't bear to face the disappointment and hurt in his eyes. But if I could change that face into a happier one again, then it would make the effort all the worthwhile.

"Miss Bonnefoy!"

I'm pretty sure that someone just called my name. Oh well. I kept walking. My patience was thin enough as it was. I wouldn't calm down until I saw Arthur.

I skirted around the corner and walked into the office portion of the building. I trudged down the hallway. My eyes scanned over the bronze numbers that were bolted onto the office doors. I was getting close. Arthur's office was just two doors down.

"Miss Bonnefoy!"

The voice was too loud for me to ignore this time.

I turned around. A solemn looking Kiku quickened his pace to catch up with me. The patronizing look on his face, however, didn't sit well with me. Even though his face was neutral and free of emotion, his eyes glared at me. They were analytical and disproving. I grimaced. It all made sense now. Kiku clearly didn't trust me. Well. That explains the picture incident. But why was he so angry?

And then it hit me. Arthur must have told Kiku about our break up. Ah yes. That must be it. I suppose that Kiku's reaction to me was justified. Although, he didn't have to be so discreet about it. That's what angered me. He knew that I knew, but he didn't let on to it. Kiku wanted to keep things professional. Which would explain why he was subtly communicating his distaste of me.

I forced a fake smile onto my face. "Oh! Hello Mr. Honda! How are you?" I spoke in an overly cheerful tone.

Kiku wasn't the only one who could fake formalities.

Kiku straightened his tie. His unwavering eyes seared right through my pleasant facade. "I'm fine, thank you." Kiku bowed his head out of respect. When he looked up to meet my gaze, however, he still had a condescending expression on his face. "Although, I must ask. Why are you here? The final exam was two days ago."

I thought it better to ignore Kiku's cold tone. "Oh! Don't worry! I already know that! I just wanted to thank Arthur for pulling off such a great semester!"

I shed Kiku with an apologetic grin.

"Well, I should get going! I haven't finished packing my things yet! Have a great holiday, Mr. Honda!"

I spun on my heels and walked forward a few paces. I stopped in front of Arthur's office. I raised my fist to knock on the door. Kiku's arm prevented me from doing so. I took a step back. I was one fuse short of screaming my head off.

"Rules are rules, Miss Bonnefoy. Office hours are closed for the semester. Surely you must already know that?"

"Oh?...Well...I'll only be a few minutes." I reached for the door knob. Kiku sidestepped to block my path. We were beginning to lose our patience.

"Must I repeat myself?"

Kiku politely cleared his throat. His courtesy and properness struck up a chord with me. He clearly had something to say. Why not be outright with it? He wasn't fooling me. And I wasn't fooling him. So why even bother?

I was the first one to drop the jovial act. I grit my teeth. I couldn't cause too much of a commotion. I didn't want to draw anymore attention than necessary. "It's clear to me that you know about our relationship. I came here to speak to him. I don't give a damn about your office hours."

"Now if you'll please excuse me..."

I reached for the door. Kiku didn't budge.

Kiku shed me with a disparaging look. "This is your last warning, Miss Bonnefoy. Fail to leave and I won't hesitate to call campus security."

I balled my hands into fists and held my ground. I looked up to Kiku and scowled. "I'm not causing any trouble. Calling them would be pointless."

"I think that you are quite mistaken. You have caused more than enough trouble. So much so that I'm inclined to take matters into my own hands. Now, I'll give you a choice: Leave or be forced to leave." Kiku glowered down at me with piercing black eyes.

My mouth opened in retort. I faltered when Arthur pulled open the door to his office. I stifled the sob that rose up in the back of my throat. He just looked...so worn out. His hair was a tangled, mussed up nest. The green eyes that were so passionate before were tired and devoid of life. And for God's sakes he was wearing another one of those wrinkled dress shirts. I knew that Arthur was a mess on a regular basis, but this? This was all my fault.

Arthur placed a gentle hand onto Kiku's shoulder. "It's alright Kiku. I can take care of things from here." He spoke in a cold, numb tone. It scared me how unfamiliar he sounded.

Kiku didn't protest. The Japanese bowed his head in respect. He glared at me one last time before he stalked off into his own office.

The slamming of a door could be heard.

Good riddance. That's what you get for poking your nose into other people's business. Nosy bastard.

Arthur sighed. He didn't speak. All he did was motion for me to follow him into his office.

I stepped forward. Arthur walked up to his desk. He slammed both of his palms against the wooden surface. His back was still turned to me.

He didn't turn around to look at me when he spoke. "What did you want to talk to me about?"

Any self-control that I had was now gone.

"A-arthur!" I gasped. I fumbled for the right words to say. No matter what I said, I would still end up sounding like a childish brat. "I didn't cheat on you, I swear! Gilbert was the one who kissed me. If I would have known that he was going to do that I-!"

Arthur didn't give me a chance to finish.

"I ALREADY KNOW THAT!" he snapped. Arthur lowered his voice. "You don't have tell me," he whispered. He sounded so disappointed and deflated that I just about snapped in two myself.

"Maddie told me everything." Arthur's shoulders tensed. I felt the urge to hug him from behind. No. That wouldn't resolve anything. He'd hardly appreciate such a gesture right now.

I didn't speak. I was terrified to interrupt him.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked. "I'm..." Arthur paused to correct himself. Much to my dismay. "I _was_ your boyfriend."

Ouch.

"Did you not trust me enough? Was that it? Because it fucking sucks to know shit all about what your girlfriend had to go through."

I took a hesitant step forward. "It's not that I don't trust you Arthur. It's just...I didn't want you to worry about me. You already have so much to deal with as it is."

"I-I thought that I could solve this on my own. I was stupid. So, so, so goddamned stupid. Arthur, I trust you with my life. You're my partner. My best friend. Y-you're my everything..."

It was at this point that I started to cry. "A-are we really going to end things on such a bad note?"

Arthur turned around to face me for the first time. His eyes were hard with anger. Tears began to pool at the corners of them. I could tell that he was holding back. Even now, he was still too stubborn to let his emotions run free. The only thing that he could harness was his anger.

"Do you even listen to yourself when you speak?" he growled.

"Cheya, you should be able to tell me what's on your mind. That's what I'm here for! How can I support you if you don't even give me a chance to do so? God. I can't stand this anymore. I love you so much that it hurts. Can't you see that?" Arthur paused to catch his breath. I couldn't breathe either.

I was numb. I couldn't bear to see him like this. I had hurt him. Badly. I didn't just betray Arthur. I killed him. I killed the Arthur that loved to tease. The Arthur that had a love for sarcasm and witty rebuttals. The Arthur that I loved was gone. He had been replaced by a stranger. A stranger who didn't have the strength to hold himself together.

Arthur gripped the corners of his desk. "But you fucked up. And honestly, I don't know if I'll ever be able to get over that." Arthur turned his head to the side. Tears streaked down his face.

The Briton grit his teeth. "I-I...need some time to think things over."

"I...I understand," I whispered in weak voice. I reached into my purse and pulled out a brown parcel package.

"Here" I murmured. I placed the package onto his desk. I stepped back to give him some space.

I backtracked to the door. I wrapped my hand around the doorknob. I was shaking. It was a miracle that I was able to stand up.

"Please. Take all the time that you need. I'll wait for you, Arthur. If you want me back, I'll be there for you. And even if you don't..."

It took me a while to regain my composure. "I'll always treasure the times that we did get to spend together."

I opened the door. "I love you, Arthur Kirkland. I just hope that you have it in your heart to forgive me. Because I'll never be able to forgive myself for what I've done."

And just like that, I walked out of his office, crying and alone once more.

* * *

 **Arthur's POV:**

Arthur's throat was raw with pain. He hated every minute that he had to spend standing there. Uncertain of himself and uncertain of Cheya. He wanted to trust her. He wanted to trust her so bad that he had to hold back. It hurt. The person that he loved most didn't trust him back. She said that she didn't want to make him worry. But to Arthur, that translated to a sense of fear. Cheya was afraid of telling him things. She didn't want to get him worked up. And yet, by keeping to herself, Cheya had inadvertently caused Arthur to get worked up. He could feel it. He was on the verge of a mental break down. Ironic, wasn't it?

Yes. Arthur knew about Gilbert now. But that didn't make him feel any better over the situation. For Cheya to go through something so troubling without telling him was unthinkable. It bothered Arthur to no end. It made him feel helpless. He wanted to help Cheya. To ease her worries. But he couldn't do that if she didn't rely on him in the first place. And that's what it call came down to: a lack of trust.

He was her boyfriend for Christ's sakes! He had every right to know what was bothering her. What irked Arthur most was the fact that Cheya had singled herself away from him. Such a revelation was more than disparaging. It was catastrophic. His girlfriend had isolated herself. And being the ignorant idiot that he was, Arthur hadn't even noticed. Sure. Arthur knew that Cheya had been acting a bit odd as of late, but then again, everyone gets stressed out during exams. It was normal. But what Cheya had to go through wasn't normal. He should have noticed. He could have done something.

And now, Cheya was crying. Arthur couldn't bear to look at her. If anything, he was disgusted with himself. He had caused her to cry again. Arthur tightened his grip on the desk. His palms painfully dug into the ridges of the wooden surface. He needed to hold onto something. Otherwise, he was sure to crack. The woman that he loved was crying out for him. But all he could do was run away. It was something that he had always been good at.

"But you fucked up. And honestly, I don't know if I'll ever be able to get over that." Arthur turned his head to the side. Tears streaked down his face.

Cheya hiccuped. Arthur swallowed what little of his pride remained left. He didn't dare to turn around. He didn't want her to see him like this.

The Briton grit his teeth. "I-I...need some time to think things over."

Arthur's heart shattered into pieces. He had just realized the cruel impact of his words. Time to thinks things over? More like he needed time to get over himself. His pride was wounded. That's all there was to it. Arthur felt devalued. His only solution was to push those closest to him away. It was quite pathetic really. To drown in your own self-pity. To hurt the person that you loved so dearly. He hated saying such harsh words to her. But for the sake of his own sanity he did. He did it with a conscience. His own conscience.

Cheya let out a breathless whimper. Arthur bit his lip.

Fuck.

"I...I understand." Arthur could only imagine the disappointment in her soft, amber eyes. He had failed her.

Cheya stepped forward. She hesitantly placed a brown parcel package onto his desk. She was quick to back away. "Here," she murmured.

Arthur didn't bother to look at her. It wouldn't have done him any good. Arthur closed his eyes. He tried to numb himself to the world, but failed miserably. Tears streaked down his face. Cheya wrapped her hand around the doorknob. Arthur tensed. He wanted to stop her. But he couldn't find it in himself to do so. He wouldn't know what to say. How to act. How to feel. Cheya had taken that away the moment that she decided to be dishonest with him.

"Please. Take all the time that you need. I'll wait for you, Arthur. If you want me back, I'll be there for you. And even if you don't..."

"I'll always treasure the times that we did get to spend together."

 _Don't... Don't say it._

"I love you, Arthur Kirkland. I just hope that you have it in your heart to forgive me. Because I'll never be able to forgive myself for what I've done."

 _Blast it all!_

Arthur spun around. Cheya was already gone. Arthur was at door before he even realized it. He numbly shut the door. He could barely stand, let alone walk.

Time skipped. Arthur was at his desk. He reached for a pair of scissors and cut open the top of the parcel package.

What Arthur saw next shook his to his care.

Arthur held out a homemade picture frame. Tucked inside of it was a picture of him and Cheya. Their faces were squished together. Cheya's grin was goofy, and Arthur's own was mischievous with a subtle hint of embarrassment. Memories surged through his head. This was taken on the night when he had first brought her to his apartment. The time when he had realized just how much he loved her. Falling for her wide, amber eyes. Her hearty smile. Her bravery. Her wit. Her insufferable love for sarcasm. It was the time that Arthur had fallen into something that he could never hope to get himself out of.

Arthur placed the picture frame on his desk. His mind whirred. He began to pace across the limited space of his office. Cheya loved him and he had pushed her away. How typical. Arthur always did this. No matter who it was, all of his relationships always ended in the same fashion. They didn't leave by choice; he forced them to. Arthur grabbed the picture frame again. This time he swore under his breath. It was foolish to say that Cheya didn't trust him. Arthur had only realized this now. And, of course, it was already far too late. He couldn't revoke his actions. But he sure as hell could revoke his anger away from her. He would place it all onto himself. Because that's what Arthur was good at: Loathing himself and regretting his actions.

He shouldn't have gotten angry at her over something so futile. Yes. Her friend had kissed her. But how could she have possibly known that that was going to happen? Perhaps it would have been better if she had told him about her problems. But then again, she did have good intentions for not doing so. They weren't that well thought out, but the intentions were still there. And that's all that mattered to Arthur in the end.

A small card fell out from behind the picture frame. It floated to the ground. Arthur bent over to pick it up. His eyes widened at the sight of Cheya's feathery handwriting:

 _Hey, Booface! Right now, as I'm writing this, we're in the library, studying._

 _You keep looking over your shoulder to peek at what I'm writing._

 _Idiot; you're not subtle at all._

 _Anyways! This and something else (I'm not telling you what the other present is. Patience, young Browzilla) will be my Christmas present to you! I know that you told me to delete this picture, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. It's one of those rare times that you smile. I had to keep it! You look very handsome, if I do say so myself ;)_

 _Oh. And Arthur? I'm really glad that I met you. Stubbornness and all. Just the thought of you makes me smile. The best part is that I know you feel the same way. Damn asshole. Making me get all sentimental and crap._

 _YOU DID THIS TO ME._

 _With Love,_

 _Your stud of a girlfriend,_

 _Cheya_

 _P.S. Stop trying to make the bunny suit a thing. It's never going to happen._

* * *

 **Thanks to:** PastelPandemonium, Edward Elric's Waifu, Yourbestfriend, Red-Hot Habanero, and Efficent for reviewing last chapter!

Red-Hot Habenero: The scene with Arthur with Maddie will be next chapter :)

Efficient: Thanks for pointing that out! So yeah, I think that I'm going to avoid using other languages in this fic, other than swear words that basically every one knows (if not just google it). If the characters say something in their native language, then it'll be italicized.

PastelPandemonium: Haha, I wouldn't advise throwing your phone at the wall. believe me, I've done it (by accident, I was aiming for my brother's head ok?), it's not worth it ;)

Yourbestfriend: I'll update as soon as I can!

Edward Elric's Waifu: Kawaii indeed.


	24. Au Revoyage (pt 1)

**Au Revoyage (pt 1):**

 **Cheya's POV:**

I struggled to a stop at the front door of my apartment. My suitcases fell to the floor with a thud. Maddie was in and out of her room, packing. She still had some time before she too left for the break. Her train left later this afternoon. Unfortunately, Papa and Bella were picking me up at noon. I didn't get the chance to sleep in. Ugh. That was another thing that I didn't want to face. Not that I minded seeing Bella, in fact I missed her dearly, but Papa was sure to know that something was wrong the moment that he lays his eyes on me. The man had a sixth sense when it came to female emotions. There was no possible way to escape from his freakishly accurate intuition.

"Maddie? I called. "I'm leaving now!"

Huffing and puffing, Maddie burst out of her room. She hovered over the upstairs railing. "Wait!" A sly grin crept onto her face. "At least let me give you a proper goodbye."

I sighed with annoyance. Three steps at a time, Maddie stumbled down the staircase. She nearly tripped over the last step. I grinned. She was such a clutz. Maddie spread out both arms for a hug. I obliged. I would take all the hugs that I could get. Not that I really deserved one.

Maddie rubbed my back. "I'll keep pestering Arthur for you. Oh and do try to enjoy yourself, eh? Your break shouldn't be spent moping."

"I know," I mumbled in a lame voice.

Maddie pulled away from the hug. She scowled slightly. Her eyebrows furrowed into a frown. "I'm serious."

I rolled my eyes. "I'll try to relax. Really, I will. It's just hard, you know? I can't stop thinking about him."

"I'm sure that he feels the same way. Honestly, I think that you just scared him. He's never been this close to someone before."

A sad look crossed over Maddie's face.

"I wouldn't worry too much about Gilbert either. He's coping... just very slowly."

I mutely nodded by head. I knew that Maddie was only trying to cheer me up. But it wasn't working. In fact, nothing would work. "Alright then."

I opened the door, dragging my suitcases along with me. "We should hang out sometime over the break."

Maddie grinned. "Of course! I'm throwing a movie night on the 22nd, so you better be there!"

I looked over my shoulder and smiled weakly. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."

…

I walked into the park lot. I had to stifle my screams of joy when I saw Papa. He was standing in front of his black hummer. I began to sprint. Which was more like hobbling because I still had three suitcases to carry. I plowed right into him. Papa didn't see me until the last second. But when he did, his blue eyes lit up with glee.

"Cherieeeee!" he squealed. Yes squealed. And a very unmanly squeal at that.

Papa wrapped his arms around me. He pulled me into a hug and sighed. I stood still. I held back my sobs and clenched onto his jacket with one fist. I missed him so much that it hurt. With everything falling to shit as of late, seeing my Papa's smiling face was quite refreshing. Well, it was refreshing for the first minute or two. I tried to pry myself out of his tight grip. But Papa had no intention of letting go. It only got more embarrassing from there. Papa planted a series of loud, smacking kisses on my cheeks, my nose, my forehead and just about every other place that you could imagine. Actually no. Never mind. Get your head out of the gutter.

"Papa!" I wailed. "You're embarrassing me!"

Papa pulled away. However, instead of his usual smug expression, his eyes hardened into a glare. "Me embarrassing you should be the least of your worries," he scoffed. Papa opened the passenger door for me. He tutted at me in a snobbish fashion and practically shoved me into the car. Unnerved, I closed the car door. I turned around and spotted a very sheepish Bella sitting in the back seat. I furrowed my brows. Now that I think of it, Papa was acting fairly irritable. If his slamming of the trunk didn't already indicate that. Seriously. The entire hummer shook. Papa just about threw my suitcases into the back. Bella didn't look up to meet my gaze. I cocked my head to the side.

"Bella..." My voice raised a few octaves. "What did you do?"

Bella fidgeted with her hands. She wasn't acting like herself at all. You would think that she would be bouncing all over the place in excitement just about now. But rather than strangling me with an overbearing hug, Bella didn't say anything. She didn't even interrogate me for any gossip. And then it hit me. Papa was mad. And that typically happened whenever he was kept in the dark about any sort of gossip. Seriously. Sometimes I wonder if he's a teenage girl in the disguise of a middle-aged, slightly perverted -but equally likable- Frenchman.

"OH! YOU DIDN'T!" I screamed.

My hands shook. I repressed the urge to throw myself over the seat. I was _this_ close to strangling her.

Bella's grimace told me all that I needed to know.

She had told Papa about Arthur.

…

Oh my. Was this car ride ever awkward. For the first fifteen minutes, not a word was said. I kept trying to glance at Papa. He didn't bother to look at me. His jaw was set into a menacing scowl. His hand clenched onto the steering wheel so tightly that the whites of knuckles showed. Ugh. I couldn't do it. Someone had to break the silence.

"Papa?" I asked hesitantly. I looked in the reflection of the driver's mirror. Bella looked more than relieved. This car ride had been extremely awkward for her. Heck. It had been awkward for all of us.

"Oui?" Papa grit his teeth.

Oh great. Now what was I supposed to say? "Um...you seem a bit tense." I mentally slapped myself. Judging by Bella's eye roll, she had imagined the very same thing.

Bella crossed her arms and huffed. She had had enough. "Oh for God's sakes! Yes, Cheya. I told him about Arthur. And Francis!" Bella aimed a fierce glower at Papa. "Enough with your moping!"

Despite the fact that Bella was the teenager and Papa was the adult, Papa shrunk down in his seat. Bella was glaring at him through the driver's mirror. "Mon Dieu, Bella! I can't drive with you looking at me like that!"

Papa glanced at me from the corner of his eye. An improvement. But not much better than before. "As for you, I could never be more disappointed," he scoffed.

I slumped my shoulders. "Je sais Papa," I muttered.

"Why didn't you tell me? Hmmm? Am I so old that you can't come to me with these things?" he pouted.

"Non, Papa. I don't know what I was thinking."

A sly smirk twisted onto Papa's face. "Ah. You're finally making sense now. That boy has absolutely horrendous eyebrows! You'd think that you were drunk when you picked him!"

"PAPA!' I tutted. Papa wasn't mad like I had initially thought. His pride was wounded. That's all. "There's more to a man than his eyebrows!"

Papa cracked up with laughter. "They cover his entire forehead," He guffawed. "Tsk! There goes my dream of having beautiful grandchildren."

I crossed my arms and rolled my eyes.

Papa wiped a tear from the corner of his eye. "Didn't I teach you to have a better taste in men?"

"OI!" Bella cut in. "Minus the eyebrows, the dude's pretty hot."

I felt like pulling my hair out. Only I could make fun of Arthur's eyebrows. Well, Alfred too. I couldn't call dibs on a gig that the American had been pulling off for years.

I groaned. "Can we move on from the eyebrows already?"

"Fine, Fine." Papa waved off my anger with a causal hand. "But don't come crying to me when you give birth to an orangutan."

I giggled. "So...you're not mad at me then?"

"Oh! I still am! Although...I'm still not giving up on you and Gilberte!"

"Papa, the chances for that have forever sailed."

Papa shed me with a sad look."Oui, je sais. Bella told me about your fight..."

"But only after he blackmailed me!" Bella cried out.

The Belgian eyes pleaded for me to understand.

Bella pounded a fist at the back of Papa's seat. "How the heck did you get a picture of me in that club anyways?" Ah. It all makes sense now. Papa probably threatened to show that picture to Bella's mother. How conniving of him. Smart. But still conniving nonetheless.

"I have my ways." Papa grinned mischievously.

"Papa! Can you get any creepier?" I remarked with a cringe.

"OHONHONHON!" Papa used his free hand to tickle me in the rib cage. "That's what you get for keeping your juicy secrets all to yourself!"

I squealed and smacked his hand away. "S-stop!" I giggled.

Papa surrendered. I sighed and settled back down in my seat. "You're acting surprisingly calm about this," I remarked. "You know, with Arthur being a few years older than me..."

Bella's mouth parted open into an O. The car fell into an eerie silence. Something told me that I had just made a grave mistake. Such a mistake became apparent when Papa nearly steered us off of the road. His blue eyes were so furious that I practically melted into my seat.

" _HOW...OLD... IS... HE.._.?" Papa growled.

Bella leaned forward. She tucked her chin over the back of my chair. "I didn't tell him about Arthur's age," she whispered. Oh Bella. Why didn't you tell me that sooner?

I froze despite the fact that Papa's glare was currently searing two holes into the side of my face.

"T-twenty-three," I squeaked.

And that, my friends, is how Papa justified my imprisonment. In other words, I was to become a house hermit. I was never to leave the house or see the light of day again. Oh and lest we forget about the very unnecessary and painstakingly detailed lecture about safe sex. Which had somehow morphed into a talk about different sex positions.

…

With Papa's (long) speech done and over with, I thought it best to rip off the bandage where it already hurt. Translation: I was going to tell them about my fight with Arthur. I had already told Bella about my fight with Gilbert, but she didn't know anything about my break up with Arthur. And since Papa would have found out eventually, I wouldn't dare to keep this secret from him either.

I cleared my throat. "Papa?"

"What is it _fleur_?"

"You don't have to worry about Arthur anymore...he...uh...he broke up with me." It still pained me to say those words. But, right now, my main concern was survival. If Bella didn't beat me into a pulp, Papa would surely kill us all by veering the car into a ditch. Papa's hands trembled on the steering wheel. I looked up at the driver's mirror and deadpanned instantaneously. Bella was cracking her knuckles in a threatening manner. Three seconds. I had three seconds before all hell broke loose.

 _Oh Merde._

"WHAT?!" Bella and Papa shouted in their ever furious harmony.

The next few minutes were a blur. I struggled to pry Bella's hands away from my neck. I also had to make sure that Papa kept his hands on the steering wheel. They were both furious. Bella was mad at me for not telling her sooner. Papa, on the other hand, was planning bloody murder. Except, it wasn't my murder. It was Arthur's. I winced. The car had suddenly become a war-zone. Swear words in both English and French zigzagged left, right, and center. I cowered in my seat. I used the hood of my jacket to shield myself from their lunacy.

"WHAT'S HIS PHONE NUMBER?!" Bella screamed.

"FORGET THAT! WHERE DOES HE LIVE?" Papa raged.

"Francis, are you think what I'm thinking?"

"Hmm, I'm thinking about stripping him down in public and flogging him with a whip, you?" Ah, yes. What would punishment be to Papa without major themes of sexual imagery?

I gagged.

"I'm glad that we're on the same page."

Evil, maniacal laughter chorused around me. I slumped down in my seat. I began to mourn for Arthur's untimely death. Better safe than sorry, right?

Heck. With the way that things have been going lately, I was probably more sorry than anything else.

* * *

 **Maddie's POV:**

Maddie cleared her throat. The silence was too awkward for her to bear. She was sitting in a train compartment with a very grumpy and stuffy looking Arthur. Despite being angry over his break up with Cheya, Arthur also harboured some resentment towards Alfred. And for a good reason too. Alfred was supposed to drive the four of them home,with the fourth person being Natalia. But since Alfred had neglected to take in his truck for a routine check up, he didn't find out that his engine was leaking until the day before the break started. Natalia had agreed to stay back with Alfred -thank God, that woman was downright terrifying- while he had the truck towed in to a mechanic. This in turn left Arthur and Maddie with no way to get home. Their solution came in the form of cheap train tickets.

And thus, Arthur was unfathomably irritated. It didn't help that Alfred kept pestering him about Cheya. It was obvious that Arthur didn't want to talk about it. But, of course, Alfred was completely oblivious to this. As a matter of fact, Arthur didn't want to speak to anyone. This didn't discourage Maddie in the slightest. She was still attempting to pry a conversation out of him. Even after an hour of little to no results. She wouldn't stop until she got something out of him. Anything really.

Arthur looked miserable. His head rested on top of his arms. He lay slumped over the windowsill, lazily glancing at the hilly scenery. All attempts that Maddie made at conversation were promptly ignored. Maddie pitied him. She really did. She could feel his hurt. She knew him well enough to know that his hurt was directed more at himself than anyone else. Arthur doubted himself. The only thing that he could do was distance himself from all others. Maddie understood that sentiment far too well for her own comfort. Perhaps this was the reason why she kept poking at him.

She too in high school had isolated herself. But it was in isolation that Maddie had come to learn the consequences of her actions. She ruined relationships. Heck. At one point her and Alfred hardly ever spoke. She let her inside destroy her outside. She became scared. She didn't trust anyone. And it was only until recently that Maddie had learned to trust again. She was in the process of mending herself and making amends with those around her. Anxiety did all that to her. But what Arthur had was something, much, much different.

Arthur loathed both himself and his actions. He had high expectations in life. Expectations that could only set him up for failure and disappointment. Arthur was rash. He made promises that he couldn't keep and strived for goals that were hardly attainable. Arthur was at war with himself. He was fighting between his wants and his needs. And his stubbornness was the unstable factor that somehow managed to balance it all.

Arthur loved Cheya. But his only way of coping with such a feeling was an angry type of withdrawal. He relentlessly gnawed at himself. He tortured his mind by spiting himself. He either did too much or not enough. Because that's what it call came down to: Arthur was so sure of himself that he was unsure. He was cocky and arrogant but so very blind at the same time. He cared but he didn't know how to show it. He loved but he could only show spite. He felt but he couldn't express. Arthur's entire being was full of contradictions, doubt, and self-hatred.

Seeing Arthur suffer like this really got to Maddie. It hit her deep. She felt an immense amount of compassion for her cousin. Arthur was finally beginning to grow into his own person. The only obstacle to this, however, was his pride. Maddie empathized with Arthur. She could tell that he really cared about Cheya. But after their break up, something had changed. Arthur's self-loathing grew. He blamed himself. The person closest to him was hurting and he hadn't even noticed. Such a revelation was devastating to him. He had lost his confidence. His will to fight was gone.

But it was up to Maddie to help him gain it back. Arthur was wrong. It wasn't his fault. There was nothing that he could have done. Ruminating over past events would get him no where. But solving the present? That's where his focus should have been.

"Arthur, you've stared out the window for long enough. Keep it up and you're certain to get dizzy."

A pair of bored green eyes rolled over to glance at Maddie. "What a good, caring cousin you are," Arthur mumbled with a thick amount of sarcasm.

"Now why don't you tell me what you really want."

"You know exactly what I want."

"Maddie, I already told you. I'm not talking about it."

Maddie crossed her arms and sighed. Dramatically at that. "I see how it is. To think that I was actually going to tell you what she said to me before she left."

Arthur's eyes widened. It was quick, but Maddie saw a brief flicker of vulnerability cross over his face.

The Briton's lips pursed into his trademark scowl. "Fine, see if I care," he bluffed.

"It was about you, dumbass," Maddie growled. Sometimes she had no choice but to be rude to Arthur. Otherwise he'd rip her apart; along with himself.

"O-Oh..." Arthur dropped his glare. "What did she say?" he whispered.

"She wanted to know how you were doing. Not that I would know because you never answer your damn phone! Maddie huffed. She paused in her rant to look at Arthur.

Maddie waited until they established eye contact before she continued.

"She's just as worried about you as you are about her."

"Argh," Arthur groaned, averting his gaze to the ground. "I can't stop thinking about her."

"If that's the case, then why don't you talk to her?"

"Because...I wouldn't know where to start. She's cried so much because of me. I want her to smile. To enjoy life. And for God's sakes, yes, I want her to eat all the sweets to her diabetic heart's content! But...she could do all of that without me. The only thing that I have to offer her is more pain."

"That's not true!" Maddie snapped. "Arthur, stop focusing on the negative and focus on the positive. Focus on the good times that you shared with her. The times where you joked. The times were you confided in each other...You both still love each other, so why give up now? Fight. Fight for her Arthur. Stop her from fighting with herself..."

 _And yourself too_...

"How?"

"You have to try. That's all there is to it. Don't sit there and think about what you could have done better. Plan for what you can do better. You have to understand that things will never be perfect between the two of you. But that's what makes you guys so damned perfect for each other!"

"But...she did try. I pushed her away."

 _My God. Was he always this stubborn?_

"THEN PULL HER BACK, DAMNIT!" Maddie screamed. "She's waiting for you, Arthur. Can't you see that?"

"...Thank you..."

"For what?"

"For telling me what I needed to hear."

….

Maddie eyes fluttered open. Her nap had been interrupted by a series of loud bangs and shouts. They echoed all through out the train's narrow, dingy hallways.

" _WHAT?! LIKE HELL YOU'RE GOING TO THAT POTATO'S HOUSE!_!"

Arthur cocked his head to the side. He stretched his arms and yawned. He too had just been woken up from his nap. "What in the bloody hell?" he murmured sleepily.

Maddie already had a good idea as to which person that voice belonged to. She knew only one person who could scream that loud. Heck. Her ear drums had yet to recover from her floor-mates' constant yelling.

 _"THAT'S BECAUSE THE BASTARD LIVES FIVE MINUTES AWAY FROM THE TRAIN STATION! YOU DUMBASS, YOU SHOULD KNOW BETTER THAN TO GO OVER TO A STRANGER'S HOUSE_!"

"Hey Arthur?"

"What is it now, Maddie?"

"I'm almost certain that those are my friends. Would you mind if I went to sit with them?"

Arthur settled his head on the window sill and closed his eyes. He was already half asleep. "You can go as long as you get them to shut up."

Maddie smiled. "Sweet dreams, Arthur."

The Briton snored in response.

Maddie slid open the door to the train compartment.

 _~Onwards, Pancake. Chaos awaits!~_

* * *

 **Gilbert's POV:**

Gilbert slumped in his seat. Both hands were used to cover his ears. It was the only way to block out the chaotic symphony of shouts, swear words, and death threats that rang through out his train compartment. Antonio sat in the booth across from him. The Spaniard looked quite uncomfortable at the moment. After all, he was sitting in between the feuding twins. Antonio's efforts to sooth Lovina were fruitless. Despite being tucked under Antonio's arm pit, Lovina was still having a go at her sister. The fiery Italian lashed and thrashed about, screaming at the top of her lungs. Gilbert deadpanned. They were all so predictable.

" _WHAT?! LIKE HELL YOU'RE GOING TO THAT POTATO'S HOUSE!_!"

Gilbert rolled his eyes. _Of course_ Lovina wouldn't agree to Feli's plan. She loved to complicate things. Ugh. The plan was this: Ludwig was supposed to pick him up at the train station. Simple right? Wrong! Now add Feli and an unhappy, overprotective Lovina to the mixture. To be fair, Gilbert didn't mind Feli at all. In fact, he liked her very much. What he didn't like, however, was her nutcase of a sister. Well that and his overall shitty life...

"Sorella!" Feli whined at her fuming sister. "You're not being fair! You're letting Tonio drive you home! How come you won't let Luddy do the same for me?"

Antonio grunted. He struggled to keep Lovina in in place. It was a pity that she had just elbowed him in the stomach. Antonio groaned, but he still held onto the thrashing Italian. A single tear trickled down his flushed cheek. He grit his teeth together in a firm, determined grimace. The Spaniard was determined to prevent the murder that would surely take place should his Italian captive be set free.

"THAT'S BECAUSE THE BASTARD LIVES FIVE MINUTES AWAY FROM THE TRAIN STATION!" Lovina huffed. "You dumbass, you should know better than to go over to a stranger's house."

"Shhhh, Lovi," Antonio cooed, albeit unwisely. Patronizing Lovina when she was angry was the worse thing that you could possibly do. That is, of course, unless you wished to die. But then again, Antonio had already given away his soul the moment that he decided to date the Italian she devil.

Antonio patted Lovina's head. Her face reddened considerably. Perhaps even comically. "Ludwig's very responsible. Feli will be in good hands."

"Ja," Gilbert cut in. He had heard enough of their bickering. It was time to put an end to it. "Toni's right. My bruder's harmless. He can hardly look at a girl without blushing and simultaneously pissing his pants."

Lovina appeared to calm down. She was too busy grinning at the image of Ludwig pissing his pants.

The Italian tapped a surrendering hand on the Spaniard's forearm. She was signalling her defeat. With a grand sigh, Antonio released her. But not before grabbing onto her wrist. For safety's sake, of course. Everyone else in the compartment was quite relieved by this. Lovina snapped at the slightest of provocations. It was reassuring to know that Antonio had their back. It was a win-win situation. Antonio, if he survived, would be known as the hero who conquered Lovina's shrewd, tsundere heart. And if he didn't, well, there was always room to make him a martyr.

Lovina's hazel eyes flared with a dangerous and ever mischievous looking gleam. Her lips pursed into a sour scowl. "It's all a ruse! He probably uses that scheme on every girl that he meets! Shy at first, you know?..." Gilbert didn't even bother to make sense of the meaning behind Lovina's crude hand gestures. "He reels them in and tickles their fragile, virgin hearts..."

Gilbert tuned out for a bit.

Lovina pounded her fist into the opposite hand. "Life is good and then BAM! Reality hits and he tries to fuck their brains out!"

As usual, Lovina's vulgarity went straight over Feli's head. "Hehe sorella," Feli eyed Lovina with an amused expression. "You should be the one to talk! I hear you and Tonio making out all the time!"

Feli's chest swelled with the confidence of tying Lovina's sharp tongue into a big, fat knot of embarrassment. The happier twin shed her sister with a smug looking glare. Gilbert almost pitied Lovina. Almost.

Antonio chuckled. The grin on his face alluded to a smug sort of pride. He patted a mortified looking Lovina on the head. Feli reveled in her sister's embarrassment.

"Not so talkative now, are we sorella?" Feli teased.

Through heavy lashes, Lovina looked up at her sister. "Talk all you want. Just wait until I get my hands on that-"

A knock on the compartment door interrupted Lovina's train of thought. Gilbert leapt at the chance to escape from the madness.

Lovina and Feli continued to argue. Antonio wailed and pleaded for them to stop. They didn't.

The German slid the compartment door open. The Canadian stood before him. Her breathing was heavy. She set down a bundle of suitcases at her feet.

"Mind if I join you guys?" Maddie asked.

"Maddie?" A quizzical looked formed on Gilbert's face. "What are you doing here?"

Maddie rolled her eyes. "Alfred's car broke down, so I'm taking the train; _obviously_."

Gilbert smiled. "Of course. How silly of me," he muttered with a thick amount of sarcasm. "The train only left two hours ago."

Gilbert helped Maddie place her suitcases on a hanging shelf. As he did so, Gilbert felt his mood take a turn for the better. Something about Maddie always seemed to cheer him up. She was just so sweet and genuine that he couldn't help but smile. Well, that is, when she wasn't spiting him with passive aggressive insults, of course.

"Oh look," Lovina drawled. "Maple bitch is here."

Maddie's head snapped over her shoulder. "How's it going psycho tomato bitch?" she retorted with a huff.

Gilbert's laugh cracked into a faint grin. He was the one who had taught Maddie that insult.

"By the way, you might want to keep your voice down. The entire train could hear you."

Both Gilbert and Maddie relished in Lovina's flustered expression. In a sense, they were one in the same person.

But alas, they just hadn't realized it yet.

* * *

 **Maddie's POV:**

The train conductor called out the Canadian's stop.

Maddie stood up from the her seat and stretched. At this point, everyone in train the train compartment had fallen asleep. With the exception of Gilbert. The two had sat next to each other for the remaining portion of the train ride. It was nice to relax after all the past craziness. Gilbert had lent her an earphone and they listened to music together. They didn't speak much. They had let the music speak for itself. It was comforting. To hum along to the music and lean against Gilbert's shoulder. It was all she could do to block out Feli's pleas, Antonio's wailing, and Lovina's screaming. It didn't take long for the chaotic trio to grow tired of their fighting, however.

Maddie smiled at the precious sight before her. Lovina drooled on Antonio's left shoulder. Feli's head rested on his right shoulder, occasional hiccuping and veh'ing in sleep. How cute. Gilbert took off his headphones. He stood up and helped Maddie gather her suitcases. Maddie watched him with sad eyes. She felt her throat constrict. Gilbert wasn't acting like himself. He was just so quiet. So reserved. So not like the boisterous boy that she had grown to love.

Gilbert set down her suitcases on the floor. Maddie muttered her thanks.

"Hey Gilbert?" she asked.

"Ja?"

Maddie swallowed. "Erm...never mind."

 _You idiot._

Maddie moved to slide open the compartment door. Her hand gripped onto the wood much too tightly. Gilbert handed her two, smaller suitcases. He left the compartment carrying two others. Lugging her suitcases, Maddie stumbled after him. Gilbert was much stronger than her. He carried his -or rather her- load with an uncanny ease.

"Wait up, will you?" Maddie protested with a huff.

Gilbert sighed and came to a stop. Maddie wasn't expecting him to listen to her. Of course. It was just her luck to bump straight into him. "OOMPH!"

It was like walking into a brick wall.

The German set down the suitcases that he was carrying.

Gilbert chuckled. Maddie's heart lifted at the sound of it. He was laughing again. Now that right there was some progress.

"You're such a klutz, kesese." Gilbert remarked with a smirk. Flustered, Maddie straightened her glasses. Gilbert turned around to face her. With a wry smile, Gilbert raised a pale, slender finger in front of her face.

The German teasingly flicked the Canadian in the forehead.

"Tell me about it," Maddie groaned, rubbing her forehead.

"We should get going," Gilbert picked up his load of suitcases. He cocked his head in the direction of the boarding room. "The train's going to stop any minute now."

"WAIT!" Maddie flinched. She knew what she wanted to say. But whenever she tried to say something, the right words were no where to be found. It was frustrating. She was letting her anxiousness get the best of her. She needed to calm down. Besides. It was just Gilbert. If anything, he should be making her angry. Not nervous.

Gilbert turned around again. He looked a bit incredulous. "Ja?"

"Oh...uh," Maddie averted her gaze to the ground. "I just wanted to ask you how you were doing...you know...with everything that happened?" Maddie bit her lip. Voices in her head screamed at her left, right, and center. She didn't let on to it, however. She was going to talk to him, damnit! She knew for a fact that Gilbert was still hurting over his fall out with Cheya. She also knew that it was imperative that he talked to _someone_ about these feelings. Yes. It was intrusive for her to do so. But she needed to make sure that Gilbert was faring well. And so, for the sake of her own-well being, she asked.

Gilbert smiled. Behind the smile Maddie noticed a painful grimace. "I suppose that I'm alright. I've done a lot of thinking lately." Gilbert ran a shaky hand through his platinum blond locks. Maddie recognized this nervous habit of his. It was the same for her. She hid behind her hair when she was nervous. Gilbert, on the other hand, enjoyed to play with it.

"It's almost like I knew that this was going to happen. And now that it did, I feel like a giant weight has been lifted off of my shoulders. Letting her go has been much easier than I thought it would be."

"I'm glad to hear that," Maddie smiled. "Have you...have you thought about talking to her about it?"

For a brief moment, Gilbert's expression hardened. His anger disappeared just as quickly as it had appeared. It was masked by the sarcastic snort that he let out on instinct. Maddie despaired. God was he ever stubborn. He could never tell her how he felt without being sarcastic. Gilbert was too proud for his own good. He was a ticking time bomb. He was destructive both to himself and to the others around him. The anger that he kept to himself was growing. He was bound to explode; and soon at that. And quite frankly, the uncertainty that she felt towards him terrified her.

"That won't be happening any time soon. I may have gotten over her, but I still haven't gotten over what she did," Gilbert spat. He glared at the ground.

Maddie thought it best to let the topic drop. Gilbert still had a large amount of healing to do. Her poking at his wounds was in no means helping with the situation.

"I see," Maddie sighed. The pair continued to walk to the boarding room. Not another word was spoken.

The pair crossed into a space antecedent to the boarding room. What Gilbert did next caught Maddie off guard.

Gilbert set down her suitcases on the ground. He walked over to Maddie and pulled her into a hug. Maddie blinked. She let go of the suitcases that she held in her own hands. She was numb to the fact that one of them was crushing her right foot. Maddie let her head rest on Gilbert's shoulder.

"Danke, Maddie," Gilbert whispered into her ear. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Y-you're welcome," Maddie stammered. Much to her own dismay. "That's what friends are for, eh?"

Gilbert pulled away from the hug. He smiled down at her. It was a genuinely kind smile. It was the first moment that she could see him clearly. He wasn't putting up any walls.

" _Friend_ doesn't do you any justice." Gilbert eyes twinkled with warmth. "I wish that I could make it up to you some how. A simple thank you in this context feels so...cheap."

Maddie blushed. My God, Gilbert was actually thanking her. And he was being serious too. "Hmmm? Since when does the awesome Gilbert thank people?!"

"Ah! How the tables have turned!" Maddie mused. She wanted to rouse Gilbert into his old self. She wanted to see the the cocky spark light up in his eyes once more.

Gilbert grinned. "Count your blessings. This is the one and only time that you'll ever see me thank you...A king must treat his peasants well, after all! Wouldn't want them to rebel!"

Maddie raised a fist into the air. She was poised and ready to strike. She stood up on the tips on her toes.

The Canadian smacked the German upside on the head.

"OW!" Gilbert wailed. He had always been one for dramatic flare.

The German staggered back a few paces. He cupped a hand over his forehead. "Such treachery!" he called out.

Maddie giggled. She clasped her hands together in a mock prayer. "Oh Holy douche. Please have mercy on my sinful soul."

"Hmmmm...OK! But...I'll ask you one measly request in return."

Maddie deadpanned. "I'm not calling you awesome."

"Why not!" Gilbert pouted.

The train slowed in speed. Maddie's stomach churned uncomfortably. It was time to say their farewells.

"Well," Maddie sighed. "I guess that this is good bye...for now."

Gilbert's playful mood was quick to die down. "Ja. Thanks again...for everything."

"Don't mention it!" Maddie waved him off with a casual hand.

"Oh! Before I forget! Would you be interested in coming to a movie night that I'm throwing on the 22nd?"

Gilbert beamed. "Of course! I wouldn't miss if for the world!"

The pair hugged once more and said their final goodbyes.

Maddie walked off the train with a wide grin on her face. The sound of Gilbert's laughter chorused in her head.

Not everything was lost. She would find the real Gilbert. And when she did she would pull him out of his rut. She was willing to drag him out if necessary.

 _Hang in there Gilbert. If you give up, who will be there to catch me when I stumble? Let's make a deal. You catch me when I fall. And I'll help you stand on your own two feet. With you, I've learned to overcome my fears. Heck. I'm still learning to. But now, it's your turn to depend on me. Lean on me. Trust me. I promise you that we'll get through this. I know that I can never put my feelings into words...but that's what makes this all so damned frustrating! Maybe one day, I'll tell you. But I can't do that unless you tell me how you feel. I know. Pretty stupid, eh? Yes. I still have a long way to go. But I'm willing to work on it if you do too. Let's do this; together._

* * *

 **Thanks to:** Red-Hot Habanero, Efficient, and exca314 for reviewing last chapter! As always, it's greatly appreciated!


	25. Au Revoyage (pt 2)

**Au Revoyage (pt. 2):**

 **Arthur's POV:**

An hour passed and Arthur gave up on napping. Sure. The yelling from earlier had quieted down. But this, of course, didn't halt the constant pounding in his own head. He was too irritated to think. Yet too flustered to do anything about it. His heart ached, and if it wasn't for Maddie, he wouldn't have been able to confront these feelings. Arthur realized what he had to do. This break, he was going to fix things between him and Cheya. No if's, but's, or and's

Arthur wanted to make Cheya smile again. To see the rosiness in her cheeks. To see how her eyes lit up with a child like excitement whenever he surprised her with a sweet. But most important of fall, Arthur wanted to laugh again. And with Cheya, laughing was inevitable. She was just so adorable. And sweet. And kind. And bloody hell...here we go again. Romanticizing about her wasn't going to solve the problem. When you fuck up as badly as he did, you shouldn't hope for the best and expect things to go back to normal. This is what frustrated Arthur most. He couldn't help but think about all the times that he had spent with her. With Cheya he could be himself. He didn't have to act proper. He didn't have to worry about the judgement of others...and he certainly didn't have to judge _himself_ so harshly.

Being in a constant competition tore Arthur apart. No matter how hard he tried and how many goals he reached, there would always be someone two steps ahead of him. He hated it. He hated to feel inferior in comparison to others. The world was a harsh place. Aggression was the only type of behavior that resulted in success. But at what cost? And who was he trying to impress? Himself? Others? Even Arthur himself was unsure over the matter.

Cheya was impressed with him regardless of his accomplishments. So...was there _really_ a purpose to lash out anymore? Arthur could be rude at times. A lot of times, actually. But Cheya knew that he had never meant any of it. And to Arthur, that was the greatest blessing of all. No one had ever bothered to ask him why he acted the they way that he did. It was often assumed that it was in Arthur's general nature to be spiteful, snide and arrogant. And perhaps it was now. But Arthur wasn't always like this. Oh no. Not at all.

...

"Mum! Mum! I was the only kid in class who knew how to do long division!"

No answer.

"Mum! Mum! Mum! I just got an A + on my maths quiz!"

No answer.

"Mum! Mum! I just an A+ on my geography quiz!"

No answer.

….

"Oh my, Alistair! Valedictorian?! I'm so proud of you!"

…

"Artie dear, you should follow in Dylan and Seamus' footsteps. They're co-captains of the football team and at the top of their class!"

"Oi, Mum! Don't encourage the bugger! We're always in need of a new water boy!"

….

"Mr. Kirkland, do you know why I brought you into my office today?"

"No, and quite frankly, I don't give a damn."

"I don't understand. You were at the top of your class...?"

"It says here that you're failing all of your classes."

"Big fucking surprise," Arthur muttered under his breath.

If you don't sharpen up, you're not going to graduate."

"Again, see if I care."

"Arthur, you have so much potential. Please, don't let it go to waste."

"Any effort would be a waste. What's the point in trying? No one's going to care anyways."

 _"You_ should care Arthur. This is _your_ future that we're talking about here."

….

"Mum, I just got accepted into Hetalia University."

"That's nice dear. The University setting will be good for you. Hopefully you'll learn to take things more seriously."

It was at this moment that something snapped inside of Arthur. No longer would he submit himself to the goals of Arthurs. But rather, he would strive for his own goals. His own success.

 _I'll show you! I'll show everyone what I'm damn capable of! I too am important. You fools just haven't realized it yet._

 _One day, you'll all learn to take me seriously._

 _I swear on it._

…

/(Flashback)\

Arthur sat hunched over a study table. He was furiously scribbling away in his notepad, attempting, but not succeeding in catching up with his massive course load. He had just finished marking a large batch of midterms for Prof. Braginski. Next on the list was research. He had a paper to write for his international relations class. Normally, Arthur would have done his class work first. But when you have a borderline psychopathic Russian pestering up your ass, you're going to finish marking those midterms. No questions asked.

Arthur shuddered at the thought. Braginski was a downright chilling man. He was always smiling, but it was his friendliness that made the Russian all the more dangerous. He was a behemoth, towering in at a height of well over six feet tall. Yet, it wasn't his size that made him so bloody intimidating. It was his temper. When Braginski got angry, he didn't last out or yell. He laughed. But behind the laugh, there was something much more sinister. Something Arthur hoped to never experience first hand.

The Briton had heard the stories about Eduard, the poor bloke who had served as a TA under Braginski a few years back. Rumour has it that while uploading the midterm results online, Eduard spilled cofffee on his lap top. And thus, all data from the lap top was erased. This had delayed the display of the midterm results for a period of two weeks. But wait! It get's worse!

It was under everyone's suspicion that Braginski had cursed Eduard for his carelessness. Apparently, when the Estonian showed up for class the next day, Braginski clapped him on the shoulder, smiled, and mumbled " _Capitalist Pig_ ' under his breath. The Russian then went on to teach the rest of his lecture, acting as if nothing had ever happened. Things were normal after that. It was only until a week had passed before the crazy happened.

First, Eduard's car broke down. But, splattered on the car's front windshield, was bird poop. Bird poop that formed the odd shape of a pig. Coincidence? Perhaps. But as for what happened next? No one could explain it. The next day, the football team was throwing a pep rally. And of course, they just had to bring out everyone's favourite mascot, Billy the Boar. Well it just so happened that Eduard had also attended this rally.

All was swell until the Estonian got up to purchase a hot dog. Billy, who was normally a mild tempered pet, went mad at the sight of Eduard. He chased Eduard all through out the stadium, snapping and biting at the Estonian's heels. Eventually, Billy managed to knock Eduard down. Or rather trample him. The lesson of the story, ladies and gentleman, is to never get on Braginski's bad side. That is, of course, unless you want a pig shaped scar on your derriere, a shit splattered car, and two years of recuperative therapy.

Arthur was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he jumped when Cheya placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Surprised to see me?" she giggled, pulling up a chair next to him. "Whatcha up to?"

"Doing some research for a paper," Arthur answered, trying his best to be polite. He felt extremely overwhelmed and frazzled. He worked hard for his marks. Which meant that he was even harder on himself when it came to the quality of his work. Everything _had_ to be perfect.

Cheya pushed a few of her own textbooks onto the table. She looked worried while doing so. "Is everything alright in Browzilla land?" she asked in a gentle voice.

Arthur's eyes twitched.

"NO! Of course everything isn't alright! I have a shit ton of work to do, that of which I haven't even made a dent in. Braginski's up my ass about getting these midterms in to him. Alfred keeps bugging me about raising his mark! I haven't slept in two days. I'm running off of four cups of coffee...and FUCK! I haven't even had anything to eat!"

Cheya's eyes widened. Arthur cursed under his breath. He had just snapped at her; _again_...

Arthur went back to his work. He was thoroughly ashamed of himself. A couple minutes of unnerving silence passed. Cheya reached over the table. She closed his textbook and snatched the pen from his hand. A heroic feat indeed. "You need to learn how to take a break every now and then," she tutted.

"I have to keep up with my work, Cheya. I can't let my marks slip!"

"Do you _have_ to? Or is it that you _want_ to? Because there's nothing wrong with wanting to do well in school." Cheya sighed. She leaned over the table and placed her head on Arthur's shoulder. Arthur blushed. "But don't let it come at the cost of your sanity."

Arthur wasn't aware of what he was doing. He unconsciously tilted his head closer to hers. He nuzzled his cheek against the side of her head. "I'm sorry," he breathed out after a while. "That was uncalled for."

"I forgive you."

Arthur closed his eyes.

"Hey, Arthur?"

"What is it love?"

"I'm cheering for you."

Arthur chuckled at this. "Care to elaborate on that?"

"It means, silly, that I want you to succeed. But I don't want you to kill yourself over it. Besides, we both know that you're going to do well regardless."

"How do you know that?"

Cheya huffed in irritation. "Because I do, OK? Now shut up and do your work. I'm getting you some food." Cheya rolled her eyes and stood up from her chair.

"Twenty three years old and yet he still doesn't know how to take care of himself," she scoffed.

Arthur smirked. He watched Cheya stomp around the corner.

 _Thank you, Cheya. Your patience to this day still astounds me. You deserve everything that this world has to offer. I just hope that I can do you justice. Because, unequivocally, you have given me more justice than a spiteful asshole like me should ever deserve._

* * *

 **Lovina's POV:**

Lovina's arms were crossed. Her foot tapped against the ground in impatience. She was standing in the parking lot of the train station. Waiting for this so-called 'Ludwig' to pick up her sorella. Feli and Antonio were animatedly chatting away. Useless topics as usual. Gilbert, likewise to Lovina, stood in silence. They were both grumpy and cold. A fearful combination. Lovina counted the minutes away.

That was bastard's first mistake. He was late. Ok. Perhaps not. The train did drop them off a bit early. Like a whole ten minutes earlier than expected. But still! The bastard should have had the courtesy to arrive a few minutes earlier. Maybe it was the weather. Or the fact that she was extremely hungry. But Lovina was _even more_ pissed off than usual. It didn't help that Antonio was in an overly elated mood. He had been waiting all day to take her to his favourite bistro in town. In fact, they would have left already if it hadn't been for Lu-...the potato. Since Antonio lived near the train station, his mother had dropped off their second family car in the parking lot. But Lovina was adamant on staying. She wanted to inspect the potato bastard for herself.

Lovina didn't trust him. She wasn't about to let Feli take off with a complete stranger. Ok. So maybe he wasn't a _complete_ stranger. But to Lovina he was. And that's all that mattered in the end. Feli trusted people way too easily. Lovina wanted to make sure that the bastard was at least somewhat decent. Sure. The chances of that were next to none. But Lovina considered herself to be a fair woman. She'd give the bastard a chance. Albeit it being a small one. She'd let the potato plead his pathetic case to her. Who knows. If she played her cards right, she could probably convince the bastard to get on his knees and beg for her approval.

"Gilbert! Gilbert! Is that him?!" Feli squealed. She pointed towards the black pick up truck that had just pulled into the parking lot. Lovina grit her teeth. This was it. She was going to confront this bastard face to face. The truck pulled to a stop in front of the curb. Lovina put on her best bitch face. She glared at the driver. A tall potato with slicked back blond hair and startling blue eyes stepped out of the truck. The potato didn't get very far, however.

Feli cried out. She threw her suitcases to the ground and surged forward. She nearly tripped over her feet as she threw herself into the bastard's arms. "LUDDY! I missed you so much!" Feli squeezed the life out of the potato. She grabbed two large fistfuls of his army green coat. She was reassuring herself that he was actually there.

Lovina took a step forward. She didn't get very far either. Antonio was quick to grab onto her wrist (AGAIN). "Hands off bastard! I have some business to take care of!" she snapped. Antonio didn't let go. But rather, he slipped her hand into his. Antonio swung her hand back and forth and whistled. Lovina deadpanned. It had taken some time, but Antonio wasn't fazed by her threats anymore.

"Come," Antonio carefully led Lovina forward. "I'll introduce you guys." He chirped.

The Spaniard was completely oblivious to the lethal expression on the Italian's face.

Meanwhile...

Gilbert wordlessly slipped into the back seat of the pick up truck. He was still intent on ignoring everyone. For a brief moment, Lovina almost pitied the albino potato. In the end, she decided that it was best to leave him be. Gilbert still had a lot of shit to figure out. Whatever. She would antagonize his younger brother instead. Lovina scowled as she and Antonio approached the reunited 'couple.' Feli was talking about useless stuff again. Some kind of silly pasta anecdote. Lovina didn't feel sorry when she cleared her throat to interrupt.

Lovina glare at Feli. Feli was quick to take a step away from the potato. Ludwig was freed from the strangle hold that Feli's arm had around his neck. He looked quite relieved by this. Lovina felt a pang of disappointment. His face, in fact, had been quite purple. Ah yes. A purple potato is one step closer to being a dead potato. _Damnit! Feli, you dumb fuck! You should have choked that bastard harder!_

Ludwig held out his hand for Lovina. "Hello, Lovina. It's nice to finally meet you in person." The potato spoke in a voice so polite that Lovina practically retched at the disgusting sound of it. The bullshit was strong with this one.

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever," Lovina waved her free hand around. She was clearly annoyed. "You and I both know that I'm not here to lick your tight asshole and be friends."

Discouraged, the potato's hand fell to his side. Lovina shook herself free from Antonio's grip. She took a step towards the potato and craned her neck to leer up at him.

Feli clutched onto the potato's arm for dear life. Her eyes were wide with worry. Feli knew the murderous glint in Lovina's eyes all to well. "Sorella?" she whimpered.

Lovina turned her head to the side. She was going out of her way to ignore Feli's pleading gaze. Hell no. She knew for a fact that Feli was giving her the _Puppy dog_ look.

 _Don't look. For the love of fucking God don't look._

Lovina balled her free hand into a tight fist. She willed herself to ignore her sorella's whines of protests. Lovina had much more important things to attend to. One of those things was to drill the potato with an excessive amount of dating rules. Said potato looked like he wanted to curl up into a ball and die. But alas. For the sake of Feli and his own worthless life, Ludwig stayed.

Shit goes down in 3...2...1...

"Listen up bricktato! I don't like you and I probably never will! But if you want to date my sorella, you better fucking listen to what I have to say!

"Rule #1. If you break her heart, I'll break you. #2. If you do _anything_ that she doesn't like, I'll wrap you up and tinfoil and bake your sorry ass at 350 degrees.."

Antonio snickered to himself.

Ludwig shed Lovina with a quizzical look. "Tinfoil?" he spluttered.

"Si, bastard. Tinfoil." Lovina flashed Ludwig with an eerily sweet smile.

The Italian cocked her head to the side and continued to toy with the already stunned German.

"I'll cook you alive like the damned potato bastard that you are."

Surprisingly enough, this threat didn't scare Ludwig all that much.

The potato scoffed. "I'd like to see that." The bastard remarked with a playful smirk. His blue eyes gleamed with a smug ass aura of pure douchebagery.

Ludwig looked down at Feli and chuckled. "You were right. Your sister is quite humorous."

"Ve!~ I told you Luddy! Nonno always said that she'd make a good comedian!" Feli trilled.

"Eheh, Ludwig?" Antonio chuckled nervously. His eyes darted back and forth.

The Spaniard was watching a death match unfold right before his very eyes. The only problem was that one of the participants didn't realize that he was in one. "Maybe you and Feli should get going..."

And then the inevitable happened. Lovina lost her fucking shit.

"DON'T YOU PATRONIZE ME, YOU DAMNED POTATO! I'LL PUNCH YOU IN THE NECK, JUST YOU FUCKING WATCH ME!" Lovina screeched.

The Italian kicked and screamed as the Spaniard wrapped both arms around her waist and pulled her back. AGAIN!

Antonio let go of Lovina when they reached the curb. That didn't stop him from placing a hesitant arm in front of her; just in case.

Lovina had half the mind to rip off Antonio's arm. It would make for a good weapon. She could use it to smack the _bastard_ out of Ludwig.

The Italian huffed and crossed her arms into a defiant stance. "Ugh. I'm done now." This was true. Her tamper tantrum was _mostly_ done and over with. Emphasis on mostly.

Lovina reluctantly let Antonio take her hand into his own. She secretly grinned to herself. If she ever needed to get to the potato, the solution was simple. A swift kick to Antonio's balls and she was golden. In due time...due time...

Ludwig cleared his throat. "Er...Lovina?"

"Chigi! What the fuck do you want now?"

"Thanks for...um...letting me speak to Feli all this time. We may not always agree with each other, but hopefully we can still become friends."

Ludwig faltered under Lovina's penetrating gaze. "Ahem, if that's possible."

Lovina grinned. The bastard had been very easy to train. Good little bastard...

"I...um...like Feli very much." Ludwig paused while Feli let out a shrill scream of delight. "I promise to treat her with the utmost of respect. That I can guarantee to you."

To top it all off, Feli cooed and nuzzled her face into the bastard's shoulder. Lovina glared at the potato. Except this time, he didn't look away. He stared back at her, determined and stern in his gaze. Lovina was the first to relent. She was tired and hungry. She didn't want to spend another minute with this bastard. Feli could fend for herself.

Lovina shrugged. "Fine, bastard. Whatever. Just bring her home before it gets dark," she muttered.

...

"How come you let Feli go off with Ludwig?"

"Because she looked happy! Got it, bastard? I don't know what she sees in him. But what I do know is that I've never seen her smile like that. It's obvious that she likes him. Who am I to get in the way of that?"

"Aw~! B _ella_ , you're so cute when you care~"

"FUCKING HELL I DO NOT!"

SMOOCH!

"MUAH~!"

"MMPH! _"_

SMACK!

"Lo siento! Ay! Have mercy!"

Cackling laughter.

"NEVER!"

"DIOS MIO, WOMAN! YOUR NAILS ARE DIGGING INTO ME!"

"Serves you right, El Bastardo."

Serves him right indeed. Antonio had asked for this the moment that he decided to date her.

Lovina enjoyed ever smack, kick, punch, and kiss that she threw his way.

* * *

 **Ludwig's POV:**

Feli chatted away to Ludwig's right on the passenger seat. Ludwig drove. And while doing so, he kept on eye on his bruder in the driver's mirror. He knew about everything that had happened with Cheya. But only because Gilbert had drunk dialed him. And mein gott was that call ever a mess. He hardly understood anything. Ludwig only managed to pick up on bits on pieces of the fight. Sometime, when they were alone, Ludwig would have to speak to him about it.

Gilbert caught Ludwig peering at him through the mirror. The albino's lips twisted into a quirky smile. Ludwig nodded his head in acknowledgement. Gilbert shrugged and went back to looking out the window. Ludwig couldn't help but feel a bit of relief. His bruder didn't appear to be _too_ upset. Ludwig let himself relax. This was good. Gilbert's nonchalant demeanor reassured him.

Ludwig tuned back into Feli's conversation. It wasn't uncommon for him to do this. Regardless if anyone was listening to her, Feli loved to talk. Despite this, Ludwig always made an effort to keep up with what she was saying. Even if it was extremely difficult for him to do so. Feli wasn't an easy person to follow. But her giggles and smiles always made her words worth listening to. She was just so happy and kind.

It goes to say that Ludwig had taken a profound liking to her.

…

Ludwig pulled the truck to a stop. He turned to the side and twisted his torso. "Feli?"

"Si, Luddy!?"

"Can you wait in the car while we bring everything inside?"

"Sure thing!~"

Ludwig nodded. His eyes twinkled with warmth. It was the closest thing to smiling for him.

Ludwig stepped out of the truck. He trudged to the back seat and grabbed a bundle of suitcases. The two brothers hauled the suitcases into the house.

Gilbert grunted and gave Ludwig a quizzical look. He stepped to the side while Ludwig unlocked the door. "Why'd you ask her to stay in the car?" he questioned.

Ludwig swung open the door. "I wanted so speak to you in private," he admitted. "How are you doing? That call of yours the other day had me really worried."

Gilbert averted his gaze to the ground and scowled. "I'm fine. There's no need to worry about me."

Ludwig mutely nodded his head. He figured that it was best to leave his bruder be. Gilbert didn't appear to be in the mood to talk.

Gilbert carelessly tossed his jacket over a nearby chair. "Well...see you later, I guess. My awesome brain needs a nap."

A disgusted expression crossed over the elder German's face.

"And for the love of Gott, do try to keep it down," he groaned with a wince.

"What is _that_ supposed to mean?" Ludwig fumed, already blushing.

"Don't play dumb with me. You know exactly what I mean," Gilbert blinked. Unfortunately, Ludwig knew _exactly_ what his bruder meant. Er...not that he would ever do such a thing! Let alone think about it! He didn't want his own murder on his hands. Ludwig wasn't scared of Lovina. He was startled by her. She was just so loud and vulgar! He'd never come across someone like her before. She stunned him to the point where he couldn't even speak. And how could he? She threatened to bake him in tinfoil for Gott's sake! The woman was tiny. But she packed a punch that Ludwig wouldn't dare to face.

Gilbert stomped up the stairs. He hovered over the railing and looked down at Ludwig. His lips twisted into the faintest of smirks. His eyes still held their cocky gleam. It was worn down. But the gleam was still there nonetheless. "I'll catch up with you later. Kay West?"

"Fine," Ludwig relented, dropping his glare. "By the way, Opa doesn't know anything. I figured that I'd let you tell him yourself."

Gilbert snorted. "As if that'll ever happen."

Ludwig rolled his eyes. Opa and Gilbert frequently butted heads with each other. Stubbornness did run in their family, after all.

"When will he be getting home from work?"

"Just before dinner."

"Great! Wake me up at eight."

Ludwig smirked.

Somethings just never changed.

* * *

 **Feli's POV:**

Feli hummed in the car. She smiled to herself as she waited for Ludwig to get back. Five minutes had already passed. Perhaps she should check up on him? Feli moved to open the door. A knock on the passenger window eased her worries. Ludwig opened the door for her and stepped to the side. Feli took the hand that he offered to her. Such a gentleman!

"Sorry for the wait," he apologized. Ludwig cocked his head towards the back seat. "Would you like us to bring in your suitcases inside?"

Feli squeezed Ludwig's hand and shrugged. "Ve! It's alright!" she beamed. She loved being around Ludwig. He just made her feel so giddy inside! "You're driving me home later anyways! It'd be easier to leave them here." Ludwig nodded in agreement.

Feli looked up and inspected the house standing before her. She got excited all over again. The house suited Ludwig perfectly. It was one of those standard suburbia houses. Boxed shaped, neat, and orderly. Just like Ludwig. The driveway was shoveled and cleared from all snow. The roof top was covered with the cutest of blue paneling. It reminded her of his eyes. The white columns placed at the front of the house made Feli feel right at home. Tall and mysterious, yet strangely approachable. Yes. Feli would definitely be coming here to visit. And quite often at that.

Ludwig walked her to front door. He held it open for her and stood the side. "After you," Ludwig gave her another curt nod. Feli tried not to roll her eyes. She really did. He didn't have to be so formal! But she rolled her eyes and giggled anyways. "Luddy! Stop being so formal! Relax, unwind, have fun! We're not going to stay young forever!" Feli tutted.

The Italian happily skipped into the front room of the house.

Ludwig grunted. Feli noticed the improvement. Oh well. She was sure to get more of a reaction out of him later. She had planned this afternoon to a tee! Feli took off her coat and placed it onto a metal hanger. She turned to hang up her coat in a nearby closet. Padded footsteps could be heard in the distance. Feli thought nothing of it. She bent over to untie her boots. Ludwig inhaled sharply. Feli was too busy struggling with the laces to pay any heed to it. Silly Vina. She always tied the most complicated of knots. Feli suspected that this was her sorella's silly way of spiting her.

Feli looked up to Ludwig. Confusion played across her face. Her eyebrows furrowed into a frown. Ludwig's eyes widened with fright.

The German spoke slowly. Very slowly. "Don't. You. Dare," he warned in a low voice.

"L-Luddy?" Feli stuttered. Ludwig didn't respond. His eyes were glued to the end of the hallway. Something was there. Feli didn't have time to turn around. She didn't get to see what he was looking at. But rather, she 'experienced' it. The padded footsteps grew louder. They became louder and louder. Feli's mouth parted open. She would have screamed. Unfortunately, a blur of fur tackled her before she could do so.

"HANS, NO!!"

Feli gasped. She found herself pinned to ground. She was buried under something that was very warm and very fuzzy. The pieces fit together. It was a dog. And a massive dog at that. Feli cried out with delight. "Hi puppy!" she giggled. "My name's Feli. You must be Hans, hehe~!

" _HANS, FRONT AND CENTER_!" a very mortified looking Ludwig snapped in German. His command went ignored.

Hans, the German Shepard, used his long snout to sniff around Feli's cheeks, nose, and throat. The dog's hot breath tickled her face. Feli laughed uncontrollably.

"AHAHA! Oh stop it you!" Hans didn't stop. In fact, he began to lick her face. Repeatedly. To which Feli squealed. "Oh~! You're so sweet! I think that I'm going to call you meatball!" Feli gasped for breath. Hans wasn't giving her much room to breathe.

"Who's a chubby little meatball?" Feli cooed. She cupped both hands over Hans' snout and kissed his wet, mushroom shaped nose.

...

Ludwig, on the other hand, was on the verge of experiencing cardiac arrest. Two minutes into inviting a girl to his house and she nearly got mauled by his fat ass of a dog. How typical. Ludwig glared at a very smug looking Hans. The canine's head rested on top of Feli's giggling chest. Ludwig quelled back his jealousy and scoffed. Keh. Looks like _someone_ would be missing out on his post-walk treat.

What the German didn't realize at the time, however, was that he too had a treat waiting for him.

And a very sexy one at that.

* * *

 **Feli's POV:**

Feli sat on Ludwig's bed, her eyes wide. She frequently giggled to herself. She couldn't believe that she was _actually_ in Ludwig's room. Regardless, Feli couldn't have been any happier. She had come to his house for the simple pleasures. You know, relaxing. Snacking on popcorn. Watching movies. But that could all wait. There was something else that Feli had been dying to do for a _long_ time. In fact, she was growing impatient at the thought of it. She couldn't wait to surprise him. This, of course, only made the time tick by slower for her.

Feli sighed. She smoothed out the wrinkles on her tan colored jeggings. Feli then took to smoothing out any kinks in her hair. When she was done with that, Feli twirled a small handful of copper curls around her index finger. She really did hate to wait. Ludwig had gone outside to take Hans for a walk. Pity too. Feli was barred from joining them. Hans wouldn't stop jumping on her. They would hardly get anywhere if she had accompanied them on their walk. Unfortunately, this meant that Feli had been left to her own devices. In other words, she was growing lonely. But don't worry! Feli was hiding a very sneaky trick up her sleeve. Serves Ludwig right for leaving her!

Feli stood up and began to pace around the room. There wasn't much to look at. It didn't take long before she became bored. Ludwig's room was simple and trivial. It consisted of a single bed, whose sheets and blankets were so tightly drawn that there was not a single wrinkle, and a desk, which had a meticulous collection of color coated sticky notes, pencils, pens, notebooks, and textbooks; all of which were neatly arranged and stacked together. Other than that, Ludwig's room didn't consist of much else. There was nothing to express himself or his interests.

Feli made a quick note to herself. She would make sure to paint him something when she had the time. That way he could at least hang up something on his wall. Having a room to yourself was a perfect opportunity to express yourself. To display your passions for all visitors to see. And nothing said boring like a bare wall. And Feli knew for a fact that Ludwig wasn't boring. She wouldn't have been attracted to him if he was. No. Ludwig was quite interesting to her. He was passionate, kind, charming, and just plain handsome! So handsome that Feli found herself pouting at such a traitorous thought. With a dramatic sigh, Feli collapsed onto the foot of the bed.

Ludwig sauntered into the room a few minutes later. His cheeks were rosy from the cold. Ludwig's eyes flickered downwards to meet Feli's smug expression. Ludwig swallowed. Feli gloried at the sight of it. She had taken off her sweater from earlier. What she wore underneath was the real game changer. A tight pink spaghetti strap hugged her chest. Vina had nicknamed it as the 'boob shirt.' Feli grinned. Indeed it was.

Feli looked up at Ludwig through lidded eyes and smirked. Her brown eyes were both provocative and enticing. They lured Ludwig closer and closer. Feli bit her lip. Her tongue grazed over it ever so quickly. She enjoyed this. To tease boys and make them utterly speechless. This was Feli's prime. There was no shame in exploiting her feminine charm. She had made sure to take full advantage of it. Ludwig inhaled sharply.

"Ve, come on Luddy," Feli purred. "I've waited long enough, don't you think?"

"...Feli?!..." Ludwig made an incoherent squeaking sound at the back of his throat.

Feli stood up. She swung her hips and gradually sashayed over to the ogling German. She batted her lashes the entire time. Feli grabbed onto Ludwig's hand and towed him towards the bed. Entranced, Ludwig stumbled after her. He took it one step at a time. He almost tripped while doing so. Feli snickered. What a contrast to his normal, orderly self!

The Italian and German approached the foot of the bed.

Feli let go of Ludwig's clammy hand. She turned around and wrapped both arms around his neck. "TSK!" she tutted. "A girl should never make the first move!"

Ludwig's eyes hardened. He was no longer embarrassed. But rather, he assumed control. Feli savored every second of it. This was it. This was the moment that she had been waiting for. The German chuckled. It was low and gravelly. Feli trembled. His dominating demeanor was such a turn on!

"You're right." Ludwig didn't hesitate to crush his lips to hers. Feli lost control. He was just so strong and passionate. Feli struggled to regain her bearings. She wasn't sure if she wanted to. She had no problem with losing herself to Ludwig. Feelings of elation carved into her entire being. She was swept up by the German's soft, yet _very_ experienced lips. Ludwig's hand knotted in her hair. Feli busied herself with teasing his swelling bottom lip. She took things further by tracing a sharp finger along the trails of his well-defined collar bone.

Ludwig moaned and deepened the kiss. Feli didn't know whose tongue was which. Nor did she care. She jumped into his arms and wrapped both legs around his waist. Ludwig twisted and they both fell onto the bed. Feli lay on her back. Ludwig loomed over her. The couple took a quick break for air. They were back at exploring each other's mouths in no time. Feli grabbed the bottom of Ludwig's shirt. She snuck her hand upwards and grinned internally when she felt the firm tone of his abdominal muscles press up against her palm.

Ludwig pulled back. His palms jutted out to catch himself. They rested on both sides of Feli's head. Strings of blond hair fell into Ludwig's face. His blues eyes were crazed with the pleasurable, indescribable feeling of euphoria.

The German smirked down at the breathless Italian. "How's that for a first move?" he mused, cupping her flushing cheeks with a firm hand.

"Absolutely amazing," Feli huffed, stifling a giggle. "Now take off your shirt before I _really_ drive myself crazy." Ludwig complied in an instant. His shirt fell to the ground in a crumpled grey heap. He bent over to kiss Feli's adorable, freckle painted face once more. Ludwig froze when a constant banging ricocheted across the room. Someone was banging on the wall from the other side.

" _HOW'S THIS FOR A FIRST MOVE? SHUT THE FUCK UP AND KEEP IT IN YOUR GODDAMNED PANTS_."

Both Feli and Ludwig blushed. Ludwig reluctantly sat up. He bent over the bed to grab his shirt. Feli tried her best not to look disappointed. A childish pout adorned her face. It's not like they were going to take things _that_ far. They were just kissing, after all. Nothing _too_ scandalous...yet.

"Ve, Gilbert?" Feli called. "How come you were listening to us in the first place? Hmmm~?

Feli grinned. Ludwig matched her expression with a wry smirk.

The Italian took the hand that the German offered to her.

Feli sat up and crawled over to the end of the bed. She placed an ear to the wall.

 _"HERE'S AN EVEN BETTER QUESTION! HOW WOULD YOU LIKE IT IF I TOLD LOVINA WHAT YOU GUYS WERE DOING?!"_

Feli's mouth clamped shut in an instant. She liked Ludwig alive and well, thank you very much.

...

Ludwig paled. His life flashed right before his very eyes. He could just imagine the description on his gravestone. " _Death via bat shit crazy Italian._ "

What a way to go.

Ciao, Ludwig.

It was nice knowing you.

 _…_

"Hey, Feli?" Feli stirred. She was currently snuggled up underneath Ludwig's sturdy arm. Feli turned her head to the side. She looked up to meet a pair of soft blue eyes. The two had spent the last few hours watching movies. Feli couldn't have been any happier. She was comfy and she felt at ease. Ludwig was the rock that could always lean on. Both figuratively and literally.

"Si, Luddy?"

"Oh...um...I was just wondering if you would like to go out sometime?"

Feli smiled. She pecked him on his flushing cheek. "I would love too!" she beamed. "Did you have anywhere in mind?"

Ludwig pressed his lips to the top of her head. He spoke into her hair. Feli grabbed his hand and began to play with his fingers. They were nearly twice the size of her own.

"I was thinking about taking you to the mall. I have a lot of Christmas shopping to do." Ludwig swallowed a large lump in his throat. "You do like to shop, right?"

Feli couldn't contain her excitement. She nodded fast enough to give them both whiplash. Christmas shopping, eh? Feli adored going to the mall. Especially during the month of December. It warmed her heart to see families prepare for the holidays. Feli longed for the day where she could spoil her own children with presents. Feli let her vivid imagination get the best of her. She was completely enamored by the possibility of having her own family to take care of. Feli pictured herself with Ludwig. They were walking hand in hand in the mall. Their precious little girl -or boy- rested on top of her husband's strong, supporting shoulders. Ah. Yes. Marriage. She and Ludwig would have a beautiful, picture perfect family. Feli sighed out of contentment. She was definitely going to marry this boy one day. And it better be soon.

Ludwig nervously cleared his throat. "So...would you like to go?"

"I do..." Feli sighed.

Ludwig smiled.

Little did he know that Feli had answered two questions in one.

* * *

Hopefully we enjoyed our Gerita moments hmm? With it being Christmas break, there will definitely be more of them to go around ~

 **Thanks to: Efficient and Exca314 for reviewing last Chapter!**

 **Exca314:** Indeed, you are correct :) It practically means good bye trip (but it's far from being the last chapter!) Also thanks for reviewing again, it always makes me smile when I see people review my story!

 **Efficient:** Bruh, I'm not kidding, when I had five exams to write (I've done three as of now), I was doing homework all day. But it's not like it's mandatory. The profs give you the readings, and it's up to you to do them. So me doing that much work is purely optional. Well, considering the fact that my Mom is pressuring me to keep my GPA above a 9.0, it's kinda mandatory (she's threatened to shut off the wi-fi before). Also, once again, thanks for reviewing!


	26. Julius Seize Her

**Julius Seize Her:**

 **Lovina's POV:**

Lovina sat in what used to be her summer room at her Nonno's house. Or to be more accurate, her _new_ room. Thanks again, shithole parents. Lovina's shoulder's slouched. Her neck ached from bending over for so long. She was filling out a long list of forms. These forms were required whenever someone requested to switch majors. While Lovina typed away on her lap top, Feli flitted about the room. The air head was getting ready for her date with the potato, and was having trouble settling on an outfit.

It wasn't even a date. Both Lovina and Antonio would be joining them. She had some last minute Christmas shopping to do. Lovina may have accepted the fact that Feli and the potato were dating, but that didn't mean that she had to trust him.

So here Lovina was, sitting in her pj's, bored, but also a bit worried. Feli was getting really worked up about her appearance. Lovina didn't understand what was so important about a stupid outfit. When the boys came to pick them up, she would simply slip into something casual. There was no need to over do it. Feli clearly didn't get the memo. Unfortunately, Feli's incessant fretting wasn't Lovina's only worry.

In fact, the concern plaguing her mind involved that damn bastard, Antonio. She didn't know how her Nonno would react to him. This was the first boy that she had ever truly dated. And Nonno had always been the overprotective sort. Lovina snorted. She could hear her Nonno's heavy, excited breathing lurking outside her bedroom door. What a creep.

The old bastard was ecstatic to meet Lovina's mysterious boyfriend. Most of his interest probably had to do with curiosity more than anything else. Shocker! Someone had willingly subjected themself to her bossy tyranny! And of course, much to Lovina's annoyance, Nonno just about died of joy when Feli had told him about her new found relationship with the potato. Apparently the potato was the student council president at Nonno's school. So it wasn't much of a surprise to Lovina when Nonno automatically gave Feli his approval. Lovina shuddered at the thought of Feli's new potato fetish. Truly disgusting if you ask her. Feli coughed to garner Lovina's attention. Lovina grumbled and closed her lap top. She looked up to meet the impatient gaze of her sorella.

Feli gestured dramatically towards the new outfit that she had just tried on. She had slipped into a black, long sleeved camisole with matching stockings, all of which were tucked under a simple, cotton grey skirt. Lovina purposefully avoiding staring at Feli's protruding chest. The bitch was definitely wearing a push up bra. Lovina forced herself to focus on Feli's cute, smiling face. Hey, her sorella was a very beautiful creature. Dumb. But still pretty nonetheless.

"I like that one," Lovina marked. She then beckoned for Feli to come closer. "Get over here. I want to practice something that Maddie taught me." Lovina patted a hand on the bed. Feli shed Lovina with a questioning look. Her caution was warranted. Normally, if Lovina did this, a smack would soon follow. Regardless, Feli walked over and sat in front of Lovina on the bed. Lovina eased Feli's worries when she began to part her hair. The older Italian twin wrapped and twisted the younger's copper curls into two braids.

Feli's shoulder's relaxed. She let out a contented veh. "You've been so nice lately, sorella," she beamed. "I'm very happy to see that."

"WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?!" Lovina growled to mask her embarrassment. Her sorella's concern for her was touching. Feli flinched. Lovina's grip on her hair tightened. Lovina was furiously weaving the braid into place. Feli was too scared to protest.

It was quite nice actually. Even though the two had been bound to the hip for their entire lives, Feli and Lovina rarely shared girl moments like this. The twins lived in the same world. But they followed different paths. Feli was into dance and drama. Lovina was into soccer and the school's debate club. It was only until now, when they had just begun to embark on the cusp of their adult lives, that the two had grown closer. Lovina cheered for Feli in the kitchen. And Feli supported Lovina's decision to switch programs. This mutual support, in turn, made their love for each other much, much stronger. They were each other's biggest fan. Lovina struggled to admit this, but she felt a love for Feli that was similar to that of a mother. And Feli likewise.

"Exactly what I said Vina. I'm no genius but you're totally a different person! I've never seen you this happy before~!"

"Ditto," Lovina mumbled. "The potato makes you happy too, huh?"

"Ve, he does. Very much so. Hey Vina?"

"Yes Pasta head?"

"How's your application going?"

"It's getting there. I'll know if I got in by the beginning of January." Lovina pulled off two hair ties from her wrist. She tied the bottom of Feli's second and final braid. "There. All done."

Feli stood up. Lovina didn't have much time to react before she too was yanked to her feet. Feli's demon claws had an unyielding grip. "Let's find you something nice to wear for Antonio," she cooed. Feli steered Lovina in the direction of the closet. Eventually, after an unnecessary amount of input from Feli, Lovina settled on a pair of denim skinny jeans and a simple button up burgundy shirt. Lovina was then forced to sit in front of her vanity mirror. Feli had taken it upon herself to do Lovina's make up. Lovina nearly clawed her eyes out when Feli poked her iris with the mascara brush.

"Tsk! Vina! I said not to blink!" Feli tutted. Lovina's eyes burned in pure and utter agony. Half her vision went black. While Lovina blinked out tears of misery, Nonno took this moment of safety to knock on her bedroom door. Feli handed a very disgruntled Lovina a make up wipe.

"Can I come in now?" Nonno whined.

"Si Nonno!" Feli trilled. Nonno opened the bedroom door by a crack. He peered inside and took a quick scan of his surroundings before he ventured into the room.

"Nonno? How do I look?" Feli giggled. Nonno cracked a gigantic, but ever proud fatherly smile. He watched Feli twirl about the room. Her copper braids swung behind her, adding joy to the dance. Lovina rolled her good eye. The old bastard was wearing a godawful, obnoxiously festive Christmas sweater. Nonno cooed and joined Feli in her parade around the room. They skipped, hand in hand. Feli had always been Nonno's favourite.

"You look absolutely beautiful, piccolo," Nonno grinned. The old fuck then shifted his gaze to Lovina, who irritably crossed her arms in response. "You as well, polpetto."

Lovina bared her teeth into a snarl. She hated that wretched nickname. When she was little, she had had a _much_ larger appetite. Her appetite had been so large that she would eat until her stomach bulged out of her pants. Hence, the nickname of polpetto was born. Or meatball for all you English speaking fucks. "You better watch it, old man," Lovina snapped. "Try me again and I'll rip out your beard with my bare hands."

Nonno brought a hand to his chest. He feigned offence to Lovina's threat. "Old man? Since when is 55 old?" he despaired. Nonno grinned as he grabbed Lovina's wrist and brought her to her feet. Lovina was forced into an unbearably tight group hug. It was a hug that Feli had willingly thrust herself into. But that wasn't all. Just to tease her, Nonno rubbed his stubble studded chin against Lovina's forehead. Oh. He was really fucking asking for it this time.

"WHAT THE FUCK DID I JUST SAY? YOU DAMN-" Lovina faltered.

DING DONG!

The hug became a scramble of arms and legs. All three Italian's raced for the bedroom door. Their Nonno, unfortunately, was the first one to reach it. Nonno slammed the door after him. Lovina pounded her fists against the rickety, wooden door. She cursed at the sound of her Nonno's gleeful sounding cackle. "Not so fast!" he tutted in a smug voice. It was partially muffled by the door. "I want to meet this 'Tonio myself."

Lovina cried out. She fumbled to open the door. But the damned thing wouldn't budge. The doors in the house were quite old. Whenever someone slammed them shut it would take a great deal of strength to pry them open again. Lovina wrestled with the unyielding doorknob.

"Pull harder!" Feli whined. Lovina continued playing tug of war with the jammed door knob. Feli cheered her on with useless moral support. And then, the unthinkable happened.

A deep, ear piercing scream echoed through out the house.

With one last successful tug of the doorknob, Lovina thrust the door open. She and Feli sprinted out of the room and into the upstairs hallway. Lovina stopped to hover over the stairs' railing. She looked down at a truly horrifying scene. Nonno stood in the front room. In his left hand he held onto an umbrella. He wielded it as it were sword. Standing in front of Nonno was a very smug looking Antonio. The Spaniard grinned impishly. He took several predatory steps towards the ogling Italian man. Nonno took several steps back in response.

"What, no hello?" Antonio mused. His green eyes lit up with mirth. "Tsk! I thought that you would miss me much more than that, Romulus!"

Lovina cocked her head to the side. And then a dreaded sort of revelation hit her right smack in the face. Antonio did mention that he had gone to the same school as the potato. But that meant...That meant that he and Nonno already knew each other. And judging by Nonno's horrified reactions, the two didn't exactly share a 'healthy' relationship.

Antonio diverted his attention away from Nonno. He had just taken notice to the two twins standing above him. "Hola Lovi!" he chirped with a wink.

 _WHACK!_

Antonio howled in pain and clutched at his head. Nonno pulled back his umbrella, scowling all the while.

Lovina now understood where she had inherited her violent tendencies from.

Nonno's amber eyes lit up with pure and unequivocal fury. "YOU WILL NOT WINK AT MY GRANDDAUGHTER LIKE THAT, YOU LITTLE DEMONE!" he bellowed. Lovina didn't hesitate to sprint down the staircase. Lovina ran towards Antonio. Nonno held up an arm to block her path. Feli as well sauntered downstairs, but she took her time. Feli faltered and stopped halfway down the staircase. She looked frightened and perhaps even a bit perturbed by the childish light that played in Antonio's eyes, and the smoldering, furious one in Nonno's.

Antonio looked past Nonno's shoulder and over at Lovina. He shed her with one of his trademark cocky smirks. Lovina blushed. Nonno's eyes darted back and forth between the couple. A clear look of disbelief was written on his face. "THIS IS TONIO?" he spluttered. Antonio laughed despite the fresh bump forming on his head. Lovina moved to skirt around Nonno's arm. Nonno held up his arm even higher, forcing Lovina into a reluctant retreat.

"That's a nice Christmas sweater that you've got there, Romulus," Antonio happily chirped. Lovina wasn't fooled in the slightest bit. The bastard was savouring every minute of this. Eyes narrowed and eyebrows arched, Antonio reciprocated Nonno's challenging glare. Antonio had his A game on. Lovina was curious to see how this would play out. She was also quite terrified. But she didn't let on to it.

Nonno lowered his umbrella -which had been placed dangerously close to Antonio's throat- down, much to everyone else's relief. Nonno huffed. "You haven't changed one bit," he snidely remarked. Nonno's eyes swept over Antonio's lanky frame in a quick, but ever critical once over. "Still haven't taken to brushing your hair, I see."

"And I see that you've taken to growing out a beard. Pity," Antonio smirked. "Now I won't get to see those stress lines anymore. Although, there's still your forehead." Nonno's jaw gaped open in shock. His eyebrows raised, unwillingly proving Antonio's point. Nonno didn't have time to usher his retort. Lovina was already on the move.

 _SMACK!_

Lovina shouldered past Nonno and whacked Antonio on the side of the head. "IDIOTA!" she screeched. "Is that how you speak to an adult?" After lecturing Antonio and making him apologize to Nonno, Lovina grabbed his hand. She turned around to face Nonno. Antonio winced. Her nails were digging into the soft flesh of his palms.

"Nonno, whether you like it or not, I'm dating this bastard." Antonio vigorously nodded his head in agreement. When Lovina wasn't looking, Antonio flashed Nonno with another teasing wink. Oh. If only she had caught that.

 _"I'M NEVER GOING TO LIKE IT_!" Nonno screamed. Sometime in the mix they had both switched into Italian. Poor Antonio didn't understand a word of what they were saying. Feli, who was still seeking refuge on the staircase, had trouble following the conversation. Her head bobbed back and forth. She nearly snapped her neck while doing so.

 _"TOO FUCKING BAD! HE MAKES ME HAPPY AND HE'S SUPPORTED ME MORE THAN BOTH MOM AND DAD COMBINED!"_

Nonno winced at the mention of his daughter and son in law. " _I SUPPORT YOU! DOESN'T THAT AT LEAST COUNT FOR SOMETHING?"_

 _"IF YOU SUPPORT ME, THEN YOU'LL SUPPORT MY DECISION TO BE WITH HIM. WHY DID HE DO TO MAKE YOU HATE HIM SO MUCH, ANYWAYS?"_

 _"OH! I DON'T KNOW! HE TERRORIZED HIS TEACHERS AND FORCED THREE OF THEM INTO RETIREMENT. NOT TO MENTION THE FACT THAT HE AND HIS DUMBASS FRIEND HAVE YET TO PAY FOR THE FIFTEEN DESKS THAT THEY BROKE DURING THEIR TIME AT THE SCHOOL."_

Lovina faltered. She had to admit that her Nonno had a least _some_ grounds for hating Antonio. But still. She wasn't about to stand down and let him win this argument. Not without a fight. " _BUT DID YOU DIE_?" she quipped.

 _"N-NO?"_

 _"THEN YOU HAVE EVERY REASON TO ACCEPT HIM."_

Nonno turned around. He snapped his fingers and beckoned for Feli to come forward.

Feli looked very reluctant to do so. "PICCOLO?!"

"Si, Nonno?" Feli just about whimpered.

Antonio bent over to whisper into Lovina's ear. "What are they saying right now?" he asked.

"Don't worry about it," Lovina snapped. A wry smile played onto her face. Nonno was asking for Feli's opinion of Antonio. But where the old bastard thought that he was winning the argument by bringing in his precious piccolo to testify on his own behalf, he was actually signing the accords of his own defeat.

 _"I like him a lot Nonno_." Nonno shot Feli a disappointed look. She bowed her head in shame. " _He treats her very well. And he always helps me carry my groceries home._ "

The transition back to English was not a graceful one. Nonno turned around and resumed glaring at Antonio. Antonio smirked and reveled under the Italian man's furious attention.

"IF YOU SO MUCH AS TOUCH A HAIR ON MY BAMBINA'S HEAD, SO HELP ME CARRIEDO I'LL-" he growled, jabbing an erratic finger in the chuckling Spaniard's direction. Nonno paused to catch his breath. When he next spoke, however, Nonno was still livid.

"You better smarten up, kid," he threatened. "The school board won't be there to protect you anymore..." Nonno trailed off to let the threat sit.

Antonio smiled. "Sure thing…" he grinned. "Nonno."

Lovina, of all people, was now the one to do the holding back. While Feli and Antonio scuttled out the front door, snickering all the while, Lovina held onto Nonno for dear life. She had him trapped in a bear hug. "Calm down, will you?" she grumbled. "He was only joking."

Nonno visibly relaxed. Antonio was gone. He could breathe again. "Fine. Just promise me that you won't let him take advantage of you."

Lovina released him from her grip. "Take advantage of me?" she huffed. "When have I ever let someone order me around?"

Nonno chuckled. He ruffled Lovina's hair despite the many curses and violent kicks to the shin that she threw his way. "Be safe, and enjoy yourself, bambina."

"I will, Nonno." Lovina turned to grab her coat from the closet. "Thanks for understanding," she muttered.

Nonno cupped a hand to his ear. "Hmmm. What was that?"

Lovina shrugged on her jacket and mumbled something intelligible into her hood.

"Ah. I didn't quite catch that."

"I SAID THANKS, YOU OLD BAT. JESUS FUCKING CHRIST GET YOURSELF A DAMNED HEARING AID."

"I'll get a hearing aid when you wash out that filthy mouth of yours," Nonno quipped in his stern, 'authority figure' voice.

Lovina wasn't having any of it today. But rather than yelling back at him, which required a lot of restraint on her part, Lovina trudged out the front door. She had endured enough chaos for one day, thank you very much. Antonio was waiting for her at the bottom of their front porch. "You coming, bella? We still have to pick up Ludwig." Ah. So that's where the potato bastard was. Lovina was beginning to wonder about the lack of Feli's obnoxious squeals.

Antonio looked past Lovina. He shed Nonno with an ever patronizing smile. "What is this I _hear_ about a hearing aid?"

Lovina facepalmed. It was clear to her that the bastard enjoyed to tease Nonno. But that pun. It was just god awful.

"Nothing that concerns the likes of you, Carriedo," Nonno snarled back.

"Oh! It's nothing to be ashamed about! It's only natural to lose your hearing when you get old," Antonio tutted. Lovina sucked in her breath. Her time was limited. Nonno didn't have much time to react. Lovina jumped the gun and grabbed Antonio's hand. They both made a mad dash for Antonio's hummer.

Lovina winced. Nonno yelled after them, swearing in Italian. Only when she had climbed into the passenger seat of the hummer did she look back. What she saw next made her giggle. Profusely. Nonno was wielding his umbrella again. He waved it around erratically and used his free hand to make crude hand gestures. Lovina grinned. Nonno was unleashing his true and inner Italian.

"CARRIEDOOOOOOO!"

* * *

 **Antonio's POV: (Location, Shopping Mall)**

Antonio thanked the cashier and grabbed a tray containing two very delicious looking cinnabons. He turned on his heels and shifted his gaze to his goofy girlfriend. Lovina, at the moment, was hiding behind a plant, 'conspicuously' spying on Feli and Ludwig. Anotnio chuckled. Lovina was just so cute! He could always count on her to put a smile on his face. The smile on his face was quick to disappear when he realized the flock of highschoolers gathering nearby. Their eyes were glued to Lovina's slender, crouched over figure.

Antonio shed them with a glare that could melt through steel beams. It sent those perverts running for the hills. Several tripped and fell forward. They were wearing pants that sagged far too low for them to have any sense of leg coordination. Contented with himself, Antonio whistled. He strolled over to Lovina and crouched down next to her. They both ignored the weird stares of the mall dwellers who walked past them.

Lovina's hazel eyes lit up with interest when her nose took in the heavenly aroma of the cinnabons. "Oh bastard, you shouldn't have," she grinned, sending Antonio's heart a flutter. Damn. She knew that that fiendish smile of hers drove him crazy.

Antonio chuckled. He cut of a piece of the treat, skewered it with a plastic fork, and raised it to Lovina's mouth. "Open wide," he teased. Lovina complied in an instant. The grin on her face never faltered. Not even for a moment.

Lovina chewed quickly. "Alright! Back to work!" she huffed.

"What are they doing right now?" Antonio asked.

"They went into Pandora," Lovina answered.

Antonio hummed thoughtfully. Not long after, his phone buzzed in his pocket. Antonio pulled out the phone. The text was from Bella.

"Who is it?" Lovina asked.

"Just a friend. I'll talk to them later," Antonio chided, slipping the phone back into his front coat pocket.

Antonio pointed forward. Feli and Ludwig were out and about. They were walking in the opposite direction.

"Looks like they're on the move again," he whispered. Antonio placated Lovina by playing along with her spy mission.

"Shit," Lovina muttered, standing up.

"Are you coming or not?! Lovina growled. She impatiently tapped a combat boot against the ground.

Antonio stood up. He used his fork to swing a stray piece of cinnabon in front of Lovina's scowling face. Lovina opened her mouth. She let out a surprised gasp when Antonio claimed the treat for himself. Her face turned beet red. An elderly couple passed by. They chuckled at Antonio's trick. Too bad Lovina didn't feel the same way.

"FUCKING HELL BASTARD! I'LL-"

Lovina was interrupted mid-sentence. Antonio seized the opportunity to sneak a massive bite of cinnabon into her mouth. Disgruntled, Lovina swallowed. She turned on her heels and stormed away. "Don't talk to me!" she huffed.

Antonio chased after her. "LOVI WAIT I WAS JUST KIDDING!" he wailed.

* * *

 **Lovina's POV:**

Things were not looking good on Lovina's side of things. She and Antonio were tailing her sorella and the stupid potato wherever they went. Lovina had a feeling that the potato was well aware of this. Call it a bitches sixth sense. Lovina scoffed. Antonio was lagging behind. Lovina turned back to yell at him. She faltered when she realized that he was texting someone again. Lovina waited for Antonio to catch up to her. Antonio looked up from his phone and gave her a startled look.

He shed her with a guilty smile. "Lo Siento, Lovi." Lovina grunted her acknowledgement and trudged on. At this point she didn't care whether he kept up with her or not. Whatever. Clearly he wasn't invested in this date. Lovina would just have to focus her full attention on Feli. Yeah. That's what she'd do. She could always make the bastard pay for his insolence later.

Meanwhile...

Feli and Ludwig stood a good one hundred meters in front of Lovina. They were holding hands. Feli pointed towards the mall's fountain. It wasn't long before she had convinced Ludwig to sit by the rim of it. Lovina raised her wrist and checked the time on her watch. It was 2:00 PM. Lovina sat down on a bench. It was a bench that was safe from view. Lovina eyed her sorella with a raised brow. Feli always took a bathroom break at this time. Powdering her nose was like a ritual to Feli. Lovina supposed that the bastard had distracted her from her routine.

Ah. Never mind. Feli stood up and blew an air kiss at the blushing potato. She skipped off in the direction of the bathroom.

Perfect. Lovina could now put her plan into action. Lovina reached into her purse. She pulled out a scrap piece of paper and pen. She scribbled a hasty note on the paper. When a boy no more than the age of ten walked by, Lovina whistled him over. "Oi! Kid! Could you do me a favor?"

The boy grinned when he realized that the pretty lady was speaking to him. "What's in it for me?" he quipped, giggling as he flashed Lovina with a toothy smile.

Lovina scowled, muttering to herself about how kids lacked respect for their elders. She reached into her purse and pulled out a large handful of Lindt Chocolates. She was only supposed to take one, as a free sample, but when the attendant wasn't looking, Lovina had snuck a truck full of them in her purse. "How does ten chocolates sound to you?" she cooed, trying her best not to strangle the damned brat.

"You got a deal missus!"

…

Lovina crept a bit closer. She wanted to see how the potato would react to her note. Antonio had decided to sit this one out. His choice. The bastard was missing out on a truly monumental moment. It wasn't everyday that you saw a six-foot potato shit his pants. Lovina watched the scene with smug eyes. Her delivery boy skipped over to Ludwig and handed him the note. A confused expression crossed over the potato's face. But he still nonetheless took the note. Lovina grinned. She was standing far away from the fountain. Despite her distance, she could still see the horrified look on his face. The potato looked around the mall. Eventually, his eyes latched onto the cotton candy stand. They moved a little to the left and spotted Lovina. The potato paled.

Lovina returned the potato's horrified look with an eerie smile. She waved at him and mouthed a threat. Lovina gloried. She felt very contented with herself. The potato nearly fell back into the fountain out of shock. Lovina turned on her heels and pranced back towards Antonio. He was sitting on a bench and had his back turned to her. Lovina decided to use this opportunity to her full advantage. She was going to give him a jump scare. As she crept closer, an uncomfortable feeling formed in her gut.

Antonio's back was hunched over. He held his phone close to his ear and mumbled into it. This made Lovina suspicious. Her suspicions were proven to be correct when she eavesdropped on his conversation.

"Lo siento. I can't come right now."

 _Come? Come Where?!_

"I'm busy."

"Can't we do it on another day, Bella?"

Lovina had heard enough. She didn't even have the heart to cry. She was just so dumb founded that she couldn't even breathe. She wasn't the only person who Antonio referred to as bella. She wasn't his only love. She had just been betrayed. And she was sure as hell wasn't going to stand here and waste anymore time with that cheating bastard. Antonio twisted his torso and turned around. His eyes widened in surprise when he noticed the hurt on expression on Lovina's face. Lovina didn't spare him a second glance. She turned on her heels and ran. She wasn't just running away from him. She was running away from all hopes of happiness. Because let's be honest here. Lovina Vargas could never have a good day in her life. Something always had to shit on her parade.

The bastard called and chased after her. Lovina didn't stop. The only thing that did stop, however, was her heart. She was foolish to open her heart and soul to someone who didn't bother to reciprocate the favor.

 _Funny. The minute that I begin to trust someone, they always prove me wrong. Just once, I want to be proven right. I'm tired of hating people. Fuck. I'm tired of hating myself. But when people keep doing this to me, it's hard not to. It's hurts so fucking bad. It kills me to hate and love a person this damned much. It's not fair._

* * *

 **Lovina's POV:**

Lovina grumbled to herself as she stepped out of the bus and into the cold, unforgiving night. She kicked the gravel beneath her boots and headed off in the direction of her house. She still had a good half hour's walk ahead of her. And although she was freezing, Lovina wasn't brave enough to ask Nonno to pick her up. She didn't want to deal with anyone. Especially the questions. She wasn't in the mood for snapping at another person.

And so, Lovina forced herself to put up a facade. She'd go home with a feigned smile on her face. She would tell Nonno about the 'great' time that she had at the mall. And then afterwards, when she was alone, Lovina would tell Feli everything. Perhaps then she would let her tears fall. But not now. She was still in public. It was imperative that she held herself together.

Lovina's cellphone rang. She pulled it out of her front coat pocket. When she saw that it was Antonio she was slow to answer it.

 _"DIOS MIO, LOVINA! YOU FINALLY ANSWERED_!" Antonio shouted. The Spaniard took a shaky breath. " _You have it all wrong. Please, b-bella, let me explain,_ " he begged.

Lovina felt her blood run cold. The bastard had some nerve to call her that.

CLICK.

Lovina hung up the phone. Not a moment later, the phone rang. Lovina didn't answer it. Only after the fifth consecutive phone call did Lovina decided to answer it again.

" _Lovi, please. Listen to me._..." Lovina's eyebrows furrowed. Antonio's voice cracked. " _Can you at least tell me where you are?_ " he asked.

"I bused. I'm walking home now," Lovina mumbled in a numb voice. She spoke only because she wanted the bastard to tell Feli where she was. You know what? _Bastard_ didn't quite suit him anymore. He was something much, much lower than that.

 _"QUE?! It's minus thirty outside?! Are you crazy?!"_

CLICK.

Lovina shut off both her phone and mind.

…

It was pitch black outside. All street lights had turned on. Pine trees decorated with Christmas lights brightened the atmosphere of what would have otherwise been a very desolate December night. Lovina trudged forward on the side walk. She passed by local deli's, cafe's and bakeries. An odd sight caused her to stop in her tracks. Sitting on a bench was a teenage boy. He aimlessly looked up at the sky. He was wearing an olive green coat and a white beret. A pair of lazy chartreuse eyes looked down to meet Lovina's questioning gaze. The boy smiled and patted the spot on the bench next to him. Lovina felt hypnotized by his stare. For whatever reason she complied and sat down next to the shaggy haired boy.

"Hello," he spoke in a drawling, relaxing tone. "Nice night to be out, isn't it?" he mused.

"Not really," Lovina muttered. "Well...at least I haven't been having that good of a night."

"That's too bad," he remarked. "Do you want me to cheer you up?"

"Er...how exactly are you going to do that?" Lovina didn't have to wait long for her answer. The boy unzipped his coat and reached into a pocket. He pulled out a small grey ball of fur. The ball unfurled itself. It was a kitten that was no bigger than width of both of his palms. The boy smirked. Lovina's hazel eyes sparked with a new found interest.

"Cat's always cheer people up," he mused. "The name's Heracles's by the way." Heracles placed the mewling kitten into Lovina's cupped hands.

"Lovina," she grunted, nodded her head in polite acknowledgement. "So...'Heracles','" Lovina mused. She stroked the kitten under its furry chin. The creature purred in delight. "How did you come across this little guy?"

"I found him roaming around the streets. We haven't been separated every since." Heracles looked down and beamed fondly at the purring kitten. "He get's anxious if I leave him. I take him wherever I can."

Lovina giggled. "What's his name?"

The boy paused to stroke his chin. "Larry," he concluded after a brief moment.

"You just made that up right now, didn't you?"

Heracles smirked. "Maybe. So what brings you out here Lovina?"

Lovina grimaced. "I had a falling out with my boyfriend."

"I'm sorry to hear that. Would you like me to cheer you up again?"

"Let me guess, you have another kitten hiding under your beret?"

"No," the Greek scoffed indignantly. "I have something much better than that. Now close your eyes."

Lovina was too tired to protest. Heracles placed Larry back into his coat. The poor thing had begun to shiver from the cold. "You can open your eyes now." Lovina complied. Her eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets. The Greek cupped a massive blue and white striped bong in his lap. Lovina wrinkled her nose. That would explain the faint skunk smell. Ah. It all made sense now. Now wonder the boy was so mellow. He was currently tripping along the balls of THC land.

"You like it?"

"U-um, yeah sure," Lovina stammered.

"Want to know its name?" Lovina was too stunned to answer. Heracles told her the name of his bong anyways. Honestly, what even was her life anymore.

"I call it the pay purr puff," he mused. "Would you like to take a hit?"

"I haven't, uh... done stuff like that before," Lovina faltered when Heracles began to hum. Oh wait no. That was his laughter. The fuck?!

"I'll take one then." And the Greek proceeded to do just that. He gleefully blew out the acrid smelling smoke into the crisp, evening air.

Lovina cocked her head to the side. "Does it relax you?"

"Oh yes, quite." Apparently people became much more elegant and philosophical sounding when they were high.

Lovina shrugged. Fuck it. "Actually...I might take you up on that offer." Heracles showed her the fundamentals of how to properly take a hit from a bong. Lovina studiously watched. Heracles handed her the bong. It was time to fend for herself. And yes. She took the damn hit. Like a mother fucking boss. But damn. That shit was nasty. Lovina spluttered and hacked up a storm. Amused, Heracles took back the bong for himself.

"How was it?" he asked, puffing out another ring of smoke into the air.

"Horrible."

"Do you want to have another go at it?"

"Hell yeah I do."

…

Lovina slumped against the bench. She let her arms lazily drape over the back of it. "Heracles, my dude. It's been a pleasure smoking business with you."

"The pleasure's all mine, Lovina," Heracles chuckled.

In silence, the new friends sat. They soaked up the calm and settled atmosphere of the town and ignored the freezing wind that blew against their faces. The only sound to be heard was the blissful sound of their own relaxed breathing. That and the occasional muffled purrs from Larry. Things were peaceful. That is, until they heard the screech of tires.

Lovina's head snapped to the side. She cursed under her breath. Antonio's hummer screeched to a stop by the curb. Her mind felt foggy. But even the most relaxed person in the world would have flipped out in this situation. A car door slammed open. Antonio strode out of the car. His eyes glanced over at Heracles. Heracles fumbled to hide the bong in his coat. The Greek was under the impression that it was a cop pulling up next to them and not a pissed off Spaniard. In this case, Lovina would have much rather preferred the cops.

"LOVINA! WHAT THE FUCK WERE YOU THINKING?! Antonio raged. He stalked over to the bench, grabbed Lovina's wrist, and pulled her to her feet. Lovina stumbled forward as Antonio towed her under the light of the street lamp. Antonio bent down to peer at her face. "Are you seriously high right now?" he growled. Lovina blinked several times. She was slow to perceive the situation.

Heracles must have realized that he wasn't about to be thrown in jail. He stood up from the bench and trudged forward, placing a protective arm in front of Lovina.

Antonio let go of Lovina's wrist. He took several steps back.

"Is there a problem here?" Heracles voice had a dangerous, edgy tone to it. Lovina didn't like the sound of it. Heracles was furious. And from his side of things, he had every right to be. He was only trying to protect her from a 'random' and potentially hostile stranger.

But alas. The Greek was only fueling the Spaniard's ever growing anger.

Antonio cocked his head to the side. He shifted his glare to an equally livid Heracles. "AND JUST WHO ARE YOU?"

Lovina had heard enough. "LISTEN TO YOURSELF, ANTONIO! YOU'RE BEING RIDICULOUS! WHO ARE YOU TO COME HERE AND YELL AT A COMPLETE STRANGER LIKE THAT? HONESTLY, SOMETIMES I WONDER WHY I EVER DATED YOU."

"DATED?!"

"YOU HEARD ME BASTARD: DATED. WE'RE DONE! YOU HEAR ME? T-THAT'S WHAT YOU GET FOR CHEATING ON ME!" Tears streamed down Lovina's face. But she kept going. She was going to pour her heart out to this asshole. She wanted him to realize just how much he had hurt her.

Antonio inhaled sharply. The scowl on his face never wavered.

Lovina stepped back. Heracles followed.

The Greek didn't halt his stare down with the Spaniard.

Lovina's mind whirred. She had never seen Antonio look _this_ angry before. And quite frankly, it was terrifying."

The Spaniard's harsh tone cut through the air.

" _Lovina_ , earlier today I was speaking to my friend on the phone. Her _name_ is Bella."

Silence.

"I would never cheat on you. I thought that you all of people would know that."

Lovina's head spun. "Oh," she mumbled. She had nothing more to say. Her vision blurred. She would have fell to her knees right then and there if Heracles hadn't draped an arm around her shoulders.

Antonio glowered. "LET'S GO."

"What...?"

"LOVINA, SO HELP ME GOD IF YOU DON'T GET IN THE CAR RIGHT NOW-!" Antonio bellowed at her.

Heracles opened his mouth to protest. Lovina shrugged him him. "It's my mess. I can fix it on my own. Thank you, Heracles."

Lovina smiled through her tears. "Hopefully we can hang out again sometime soon?" she hiccuped.

Stunned, Heracles nodded his head. He was still conflicted over the matter.

Antonio wiped at his eyes. Heracles hummed in thought.

He knew that an intervention was no longer necessary.

* * *

 **Lovina's POV:**

Silence. Lovina shifted uncomfortably in the passenger's seat. Antonio was driving her home. She couldn't bear to look at him. She was too embarrassed to do so. She had just made a fool out of herself. And worse of all, she had yelled at him. She didn't even give him a chance to explain. She was rash and now her actions had come back to bite her in the ass. She might as well just kiss the only relationship that she had ever had good bye.

Antonio didn't bother to look at her either. The only thing that he was focused on was the road in front of him. Lovina knew him well. His eyebrows were furrowed. He was upset. Probably furious. But she couldn't just sit there. She had to say something. "Antonio?" she asked. God, did it ever feel weird calling him that. It's funny how names can carry such complex and meaningful connotations. Antonio only called her Lovina when he was angry. And she only called him Antonio when she was being serious.

And right now, she was being serious. She had to claim responsibility for her ignorance. She would admit to her stubbornness. If she didn't there was a chance of losing the one person who she cared for so much that it hurt. Antonio meant the world to her. He wasn't just her partner. He was her best friend.

Antonio's eyes flickered in her direction. "What?" Lovina grimaced. His voice was bland and uncaring. Not at all like the cheerful, exuberant, and brightly spirited boy that she had grown to trust and ultimately fall in love with.

 _You're lying to yourself. You had your doubts about him earlier…_

Lovina pushed these pestering thoughts to the side. "Feli...is she worried about me?" The last thing that Lovina ever wanted was to have people worry about her. Lovina had always been skeptical to rely on others. She despised being a burden. Especially to Feli. But now, Lovina had someone other than her sorella to worry about. She had a wonderful boyfriend who loved and treated her with all the care in the world. It was about time that Lovina owned up to her flaws and cared for him in the same way. That is, if he let her.

"No, nothing like that. Feli's fine. Ludwig had his grandfather drive them home."

"Oh...that's good..." Lovina trailed off.

"Antonio?"

"Si, Lovina?" God damnit. Every 'Lovina' was a sucker punch right in the heart.

"I didn't know...I mean...you never told me that you had a friend named Bella."

"Well maybe you shouldn't have taken off so fast. You didn't give me a chance to explain," he snapped.

Something about the sharpness of his tone set Lovina off as well. "WELL MAYBE, if you didn't act all secretive on the phone this wouldn't have happened in the first place!"

Antonio's anger grew. The car sped up along with it. "AT LEAST I DON'T SMOKE UP WITH RANDOM BOYS!" he hissed.

Antonio turned his head to glare at Lovina.

Lovina bit her lip. So that's what this was about. Antonio was jealous. "ANTONIO, I CAN DO WHATEVER THE FUCK I WANT! YOU DON'T CONTROL ME AND YOU SURE AS HELL CAN'T TELL ME WHAT I CAN AND CAN'T DO!"

"BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT YOU'RE BEING SELFISH. YOU CAN'T JUST TAKE OFF AND EXPECT EVERYONE NOT TO WORRY ABOUT YOU. OTHER PEOPLE CARE AND THINK ABOUT YOU, LOVINA. WHAT YOU DID...IT WAS JUST SO...-"

"SELFISH I KNOW!" Lovina screeched back. "I GET IT. I FUCKED UP. WHY DON'T YOU CALL BELLA ABOUT IT AND CRY HER A RIVER? MAYBE SHE'LL LISTEN TO YOU BITCH ABOUT YOUR OWN SELF RIGHTEOUS JEALOUSY."

"YOU KNOW, YOU REALLY ARE BEING A GIGANTIC BIT-" Antonio faltered. Lovina turned her back to him. She let her cheek fall against the cool glass of the passenger's window. She closed her eyes, trying to contain the sobs that ached to free themselves from her chest.

"Just say it," she muttered, her voice breaking. "Say it and be done with it. I've been called much worse before. I know what I am. I'm not proud of it, but you calling me such a name has no merit. I'm over it."

Antonio pulled the hummer to a stop. "Oh Lovina. Lo Siento." Antonio cupped both hands to his face. His shook his head back and forth. His was in complete disbelief. He had almost called her a...no. He wouldn't say it. It was too despicable of a label.

"Lo siento. Lo siento. Lo siento," Antonio murmured aloud in a horrified whisper.

His words fell deaf on Lovina's ears. Antonio unbuckled his seat belt. He reached over to cup a shaking hand around Lovina's damp cheek. "Lovi, look at me. Look at me, mi amor." Lovina didn't move. The only thing that she was aware of was the fact that she was sobbing. "Lovi, oh God. I didn't mean it. I...I..."Antonio stopped. Soon after, he broke down into tears of his own. Lovina had yet to notice this.

"Lo siento, Lovi," he wailed. "Te Amo. Te Amo. Te Amo."

"Shut up," Lovina growled. Her head still rested against the window. "If you don't take me home in the next thirty seconds, I'll...I'll leave and walk home myself!"

Antonio was too upset to respond to Lovina's threat. "You're right. I was being jealous...I wasn't thinking properly." Antonio paused to catch his breath. He was winded by the devastation of hurting someone so dear to him.

"What I did was completely uncalled for. If you don't want anything to do with me, I'll understand...I don't even want anything to do with myself right now..."

Lovina sat up. She perked at the sound of his voice cracking. Her eyes widened when she realized that he was in fact crying. "Are you crying right now, bastard?" she sniffed.

Antonio was too upset to speak at this point. He nodded his head. It was dark. Lovina squinted to see the tears streaking down his face. "Well don't," she huffed. "There's no need to."

Antonio opened his mouth to protest. Lovina silenced him by leaning over and pecking him on the cheek. "I-I know that you didn't mean what you said. So don't beat yourself up about it, alright? And I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have assumed that you were cheating on me. You haven't given me a reason not to trust you. It was unfair to jump to such a conclusion."

Antonio's eyes widened. Lovina didn't have much time to react. In the blink of an eye Antonio pulled her into a rib crushing hug. Over and over again he apologized. And over and over again did Lovina tell him that it was alright. She absently rubbed a consoling hand over his back. The couple trembled in each other's arms. They were rejoicing over the fact that they had overcome the greatest obstacle to their relationship. That being, trust.

"Hey bastard?" Lovina sniffed after while.

"Hmmm?" Antonio murmured into her hair.

"Can we stop and get something to eat?"

"Aw, looks like someone's got the munchies~!"

Cue Lovina's stomach growling, another smug comment from Antonio, and the beautiful sound of said Spaniard's head violently smacking against the car's dash board.

Lovina smiled. This bastard was going to be the death of her. Loving someone may have made her weak and vulnerable to the world, but trusting someone? Trust had made her stronger than ever before.

* * *

 **Thanks to:** Efficient for reviewing last chapter.

 **Efficient:** Honestly, can I just consider you to be one of my best online friends ever :D? You are literally the life of this story. It's people like you that make it fun to write! And getting too excited is never a bad thing! I'm glad (: OH! And the Prucan moment that you've been waiting for will get a whole chapter for itself (yikes, the last chapter solely dedicated to them was back in chapter 12), but as to how they'll get there? Oh boy. That's all I can say. Dramaaaaaa~ *giggles and rubs hands together in a devious manner*

 **Next Chapter** : Gerita mall arc (what did Lovina write to our dear potato, Ludwig?) and checking up on some other peeps.

Other News: Chapters from now on will be getting much, much longer; let the drama unfold. Seven more to go! (Not including the epilogue chapters) **Oh, and I started a new story**. It's basically like a detention version of The Hunger Games.


	27. Stalin' Around

**Stalin' Around:**

 **Ludwig's POV:**

Although Ludwig was happy, that didn't mean that he had to be comfortable. And right now, he couldn't help but feel a bit uncomfortable. For one thing, he knew that Lovina was watching his every move. It didn't take a genius to figure out that plants can't swear and miraculously move on their own. There was also the fact that Feli had knitted him a wool green scarf to wear. Which was so unbearably itchy that he could already feel the beginnings of what would surely become a horrible rash develop along his neck and jawline. But then again, Ludwig didn't want to hurt Feli's feelings. She had gone out of her way to make something for him. Surely wearing the damned things for a few hours wouldn't kill him. Right?

Other things were on Ludwig's mind as well. He silently walked by Feli's side, who was happily chatting away as usual. The mall chatter dulled in the background. Ludwig's worry for his bruder demanded most of his attention. Gilbert had been acting much more distanced than usual as of late. Of course, Ludwig understood that Gilbert's falling out with Cheya had a lot to do with this. But you would think, that after close to a week and a half, that Gilbert would at least show some improvement in mood change. Perhaps even a little. But where Ludwig thought that his bruder would cheer up and move on, Gilbert did the exact opposite. The real Gilbert had disappeared. Both figuratively and literally. Ludwig got up at 6:00 Am on the dot every morning. But by the time that he woke up, Gilbert was already gone. The only hint of Gilbert was the starting of the truck and the screech of tires as he pulled out of the drive way. Who knew where he went.

Ludwig supposed that Gilbert's disappearances were an attempt to clear his head. Running away from his problems was a distraction. It wouldn't help Gilbert cope with his feelings. He should be confronting his problems, not avoiding them. It was terrible for Ludwig to watch Gilbert waste away like this. Unfortunately, there wasn't all that much that could be done. Much to Ludwig's helplessness and frustration, Gilbert was too stubborn to listen to any of his advice. And as much as he hated to do so, Ludwig was left with no other choice but to sit back and let Gilbert work out his problems on his own. No matter how slow and counter productive that his methods were.

"Oh! Look Luddy~! It's Pandora. I love that store! Can we go in, pleaaaase?" Feli batted her lashes. Her large brown eyes widened into saucers. She was fixing him with her infamous puppy dog look.

Ludwig shed her with a half smile. "Ja, I don't see why not." Mein Gott, was she ever adorable. She had her hair tied back into two braids. This gave Ludwig a full view of her sweet and radiant face. How could he ever say no to her? The answer was that he couldn't. Perhaps he was spoiling her by agreeing to everything that she asked of him, but spoiling such a beautiful face with a frown was a crime far worse. Besides. Ludwig had an errand of his own to run in that store anyways.

The pair walked into the store. Feli busied herself by ogling at all the different bracelets under display, her breath fogging up the glass. Several sale clerks hovered behind her. They were all worried about her breaking something. Ludwig strode over to the front counter. A short woman stood before him. She had her dark black hair pinned up into two buns, which were held together by a pair of chopsticks. The woman wore a red silk robe with sleeves that were far too long for her arms. She flapped her sleeves in greeting.

"Ni Hao, how can I help you today sir?" she chirped.

"Um, yes. I would like to purchase some charms for this chain here." Ludwig pulled out a bare silver chain from his coat pocket. It was his mother's and he held it very to his heart. The bracelet had originally been a gift from his father. It was the last memory that Ludwig had of her. He was just a toddler when she had passed away. It didn't help that his father had left two years prior. The bracelet had a cursed tradition and Ludwig intended to break it. True love did last. It wasn't his fault that his father didn't believe in it. Because Ludwig did. And that's all that mattered in the end.

The woman took the bracelet from Ludwig. She held it up in the air to inspect it. "This is an old model, sterling I believe. We haven't carried this design for close to ten years," she remarked.

"Are you sure that you don't want to sell it back? You could make quite the small fortune off of it."

 _Ludwig, dear. Promise me that you'll give this bracelet to the girl whom you love most in life. I'm sorry that your father and I have failed to show you how to express one's love for each other. But with this, you can prove us both wrong. This bracelet will serve as your commitment to your beloved. Express yourself and express your love, my dear boy, for when the time comes, you'll realize that surrounding yourself with the warmth of others is much better than running away to seek your own._

Ludwig shook his head. "That won't be necessary. I made a promise a long time ago. I can't possibly break it now."

"Oh, what for?"

"Love. Someone very dear to me gave me this bracelet. I intend to carry on with the tradition."

The woman raised her oversized sleeve to wipe at the tears streaming down her face. "That's so beautiful, aru," She sniffed.

She then lowered her voice to a grumbling whisper. "Keh. Ivan could learn a thing or two from this boy."

* * *

 **Ludwig's POV:**

Ludwig sighed. He joined Feli to sit on the ridge of the malls' fountain. Feli smiled and nuzzled her head against his shoulder. This was nice. Ludwig enjoyed to admire the vibrant Christmas decorations that adorned and lit up the public space. What he liked even more was the fact that he had a beautiful girlfriend to do it with. "Ve, Luddy?"

"Ja, Mein Schatz?" Ludwig mused. He pulled Feli closer and planted a kiss on top of her head.

"I have to use the restroom. Will you watch my purse for me?" Ludwig nodded his head. Feli stood up and beamed down at him. He held back a grunt of pain when Feli dropped the dead weight of her purse onto his crotch. Seriously. What did that woman store in that thing?! Bricks?! How could such a tiny girl manage to carry that purse in the first place?

No matter. Ludwig still had to make sure that Feli got to the restroom safely. He couldn't be too safe. Especially when it came to Feli. She had a habit of trusting people way too easily. Ludwig could count many instances of that. One in particular involved Feli almost giving her wallet to a homeless person. The man had wanted a picture to 'remember her by'. Ja. Feli was too good for her own good. Perhaps this was why Lovina was so protective of Feli in the first place. Hmmm. This would explain a lot.

Ludwig chuckled. He watched Feli skip off with fond eyes. She merrily spread cheer to those whom she passed by. One smile was all it took to cheer a person up. Ludwig saw this right before his very eyes. Feli had stopped to pat a crying little girl on the head. She smiled, wiped away at the child's face with a nurturing hand, and planted a kiss on both of her chubby little cheeks. Feli then walked off and waved back at the stunned mother of the before nuclear child.

"Excuse me. Sir?"

Ludwig looked up to meet the shy gaze of a young boy. The boy shifted his feet nervously.

Ludwig immediately grew skeptical of the boy.

"Ja, how can I help you?"

The boy pulled out a crumpled yellow post it note from his front coat pocket. "A lady asked me to give this you." Ludwig wasn't given a chance to pry further. The boy turned on his heels and ran off in the opposite direction. He was going as fast as his stubby little legs could take him. Ludwig raised his brows, unfolded the note, and read it:

Dear, bricktato.

Tomatoes are red

The sky is blue

If you don't treat my sorella well

You're screwed

With hate, your potential murderer

Lovina

Ludwig paled. Only one person had ever called him bricktato. And if his suspicions were proven to be correct, then that person was sure to be close. Ludwig's eyes roamed around his surroundings. He looked from the hot dog stand to the cookie cafe and finally to the cotton candy stand. It was there that he spotted a pair of leering hazel eyes.

Lovina held her chin up high. Her hands motioned many, many, violent hand gestures. None of which that Ludwig understood. Nor did he want to. Lovina sent Ludwig spinning with a downright chilling glare. Her teeth flashed, showing him her unnervingly sharp canines.

"Hello Potato," she mouthed. "Die potato," She finished with a grin. Lovina smashed a fist against an open palm for dramatic effect.

Ludwig leaned back in horror. It didn't matter that she was countless meters away from him.

Just the thought of Lovina was terrifying.

* * *

 **Feli's POV:**

Eyes wide with wonder, Feli took in the sight of the grandiose structure of the North Pole. Or rather, a figurative North pole. The structure lay in the middle of mall. Tall plastic beams of ice jutted up from the ground. A red velvet carpet led the way to a golden throne. And sitting on that throne was none other than Santa Claus himself. Dozens of kids impatiently waited for their turn with the gentle giant. Feli begged and pleaded with Ludwig. She too wanted a picture with Santa. But alas. Ludwig stubbornly refused. He stated that they were too old to do such a thing. Feli pouted as she walked past the line for Santa Claus. Her dream of getting a cute Christmas photo with Ludwig was over. It had been stamped on and crushed by his lack of spontaneity. Tsk! It irritated her how rigid he could be sometimes.

To get back at Ludwig, Feli didn't speak to him much. She let the disappointed look on her face speak for itself. Ludwig became unnerved by Feli's silence. He turned his head to shed Feli with a questioning look. Feli put on her best scowling face. She was only able to manage a perturbed expression at best.

Ludwig sighed heavily. "Feli, even if I said yes, we still wouldn't be able to. The sign clearly states that the pictures are for children 10 and under."

"I can pass for a ten-year-old if I wanted to," Feli scoffed with a pout.

Ludwig raised a finger to poke Feli in her puffed out cheek. "I don't doubt that," he said, rolling his eyes. "How about we get something to eat instead?"

Feli mutely nodded her head in agreement. She never questioned the prospect of food. And hey. If she played her cards right, she could probably sucker Ludwig into paying for her entire lunch. Feli grinned. She wasn't nearly as innocent as most people thought her out to be. Especially Ludwig. He had no idea...

"Not so fast!" A bubbly voice echoed from behind the couple. A mistletoe was promptly shoved in front of Feli and Ludwig's shocked faces. A lanky boy with brown hair, which had an odd flyaway curl to it, and wide, childish eyes stood before them. He couldn't have been more than 15 or 16 years old. He was dressed in an elf's outfit. Whenever he walked, the red slippers on his feet jingled. Small bells were attached to the tips of his toes.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! WHO WANTS TO SEE THIS BEAUTIFUL COUPLE KISS?" the boy bellowed, earning himself a raucous cheer from the people standing in line, a groan from Ludwig, and a squeal of delight from Feli, who beamed and relished in the attention.

The boy cupped a hand over his mouth to whisper. "The name's Yong Soo. Pleasure to meet you," he smirked. "Sorry to put you on the spot like this. My boss has been harping at me to keep the crowd entertained."

Feli smiled back and giggled. Much to Ludwig's silent horror. "That's alright! We'll keep them entertained, right Luddy?"

"Absolutely not! I refuse to be exploited for some stranger's entertainment," Ludwig huffed. Feli glared at him. He showed no indication of giving in.

Yong Soo let out a pitful sigh. He decided to act out on a whim. A whim that was caused by the threat of losing his job.

The Korean grabbed the Italian by the arm. He dipped her into a bow, snickering as he dangled the mistletoe over her surprised and now flushing face.

Feli looked up at the boy with narrowed eyes. She chose not to say anything. Making a scene out of scene was the last thing that she wanted to do. Ludwig, on the other hand, looked like he was ready to explode. His face contorted with a mixture of both shock and rage.

"SO!" Yong Soo cackled. He paused to let his eyes roam over the ogling crowd. "HOWS THIS FOR A PLOT TWIST! _WILL_ HE FIGHT FOR HER? WHO'S WILLING TO PLACE A BET?!" On cue, the other working elves came onto the scene. They handed out slips of white paper for people to bet on. Upon seeing this, Feli decided to play along with Yong Soo's schemes. The money collected would be going to charity. Embarrassing herself was a small price to pay. This performance would totally be worth it in the end.

"Hear that, Luddy?" Feli remarked in a smug voice. Her brown eyes bore into Ludwig's piercing blue ones. " _Will_ you fight for me?"

"Fiesty! I love it!" Yong Soo chuckled. To tease Ludwig further, Yong Soo stuck out his tongue at him. "Last chance boyfriend...if that's even your real name!"

Yong Soo took to rousing the crowd again. "SHOULD I KISS HER?"

"KISS HER! KISS HER!"

"SHOULD I REALLY DO IT?!" Feli gulped. What was Ludwig waiting for?!

"YES! YES!"

"YOU SURE-" Yong Soo faltered. Feli was latched from his grasp and pulled back into the arms of her boyfriend. The Korean smirked. Took the oaf long enough.

Feli gasped. Ludwig grabbed her hand and tugged her back into his arms. He cupped her face with both hands and leaned forward. Ludwig rushed to meet Feli's giggling mouth.

"Will I fight for you?!" he growled. "What kind of question is that?! Of course I'll fight for you, you silly Italian!"

Feli pulled away. She craned her neck to look up at him. Ludwig scowled. His lips twitched in irritation. "Wave for the crowd, Luddy!" Feli giggled and blew an air kiss to an ogling little boy. Ludwig groaned, all the while questioning why he ever listened to her.

The German sent a reluctant, sarcastic wave to the crowd, who guffawed at his blatant embarrassment over the matter.

Yong Soo sighed in awe. "Ah, young love. Takes me back to the times when my lil bro had a crush on that girl who moved in next door to us. What was her name again? Mei? Ah no matter, we all know that I'm the real stud here."

"Talking to yourself again Yong Soo? And since when is Kiku your lil bro?"

"Since forever, duh!"

"He's eight years older than you, dumbass."

"Hmmm. I see that your still grumpy about me grabbing your boobs, eh Leon?"

"I'M A GUY! I DON'T HAVE BOOBS!"

"Tell that to the squish my hands felt when I groped them."

* * *

 **Maddie's POV: (December 19th, 3:00 PM)**

It was late in the afternoon. The boredom of having nothing to do swept over Maddie. She decided to kill some time by whipping up a fresh batch of pancakes. Besides. There wasn't that much to eat in the house anyways. Arthur and his scones didn't count, if you were wondering. And it's not like Alfred had any decent cooking skills either. It was up to Maddie to feed everyone. Keh. Her house was full of useless, good for nothing morons. The only exception to that rule was Natalia.

Upon getting to know Natalia better, Maddie found out that the Belarusian wasn't all that bad. Natalia was actually very polite and kind. She and Maddie had a good time poking fun at Alfred. Which happened a lot because Alfred was always impulsive and acting recklessly. Exhibit A. Maddie could hear the couple arguing loudly from upstairs. Maddie didn't catch every word. All she knew was that it had something to do with Alfred touching the bow in her hair. Oh well. Alfred probably deserved whatever Natalia had to throw his way.

Maddie poked her head out of the kitchen. She sighed out of relief. No one was there. Now was the perfect time to carry out her plan. Maddie walked over to the kitchen table and picked up the untouched platter of scones. She crouched over and hid the platter under the kitchen sink. This was only the first step to her master plan. When everybody had fallen asleep Maddie intended to smuggle the scones into the garage. The second step involved placing the scones in the freezer. It was a win-win situation: Arthur's ego would be placated, as he would think that everyone liked his scones, and Maddie would get a free set of brand new hockey pucks. Seriously. Those scones were more durable than a 1990s Nokia phone.

Arthur, who was currently suffering from a miserable looking hangover, stumbled into the kitchen. He winced at the sunlight that filtered through the kitchen window. Maddie flipped a pancake. She turned around to get a good look at her groaning cousin. Ruffled bird's nest hair, a crinkled white t-shirt, and plaid pajama pants. The crust of what must have been fourteen hours of sleep stuck to the corners of his red, puffy eyes; _wonderful._

"You look like shit," Maddie scoffed, turning around to flip another pancake.

Arthur grimaced. He pulled up a chair at the kitchen table and sat down. "Don't remind me," he croaked. "Why do I let myself drink this much...? Unnngh," Arthur doubled over. His face turned a sickly shade of green. "Too much Rum," He muttered.

"That's a good question Arthur. Perhaps you can enlighten me with an answer?" Maddie asked the question that she already knew the answer to. Arthur was drinking to forget. In his mind, the pain he felt after drinking made up for his past mistakes. He momentarily rewarded himself with alcoholic distractions. The punishment came the morning after.

"Because I'm a stupid twat, that's why." Arthur glared at Maddie when her head bobbed up and down in agreement. "Normally, this is the part where you comfort me."

Maddie scoffed. "I've already babied you enough."

Maddie slipped a pancake onto a plate and handed it to Arthur. "Eat," she ordered in blunt tone.

"Wouldn't this be considered as babying me?" Arthur's stomach curdled. He gave his pancake a forlorn look.

"I'm not babying you," she huffed. "I'm simply making sure that you don't die of alcohol poisoning." Maddie opened the fridge and pulled out a jumbo sized plastic water bottle.

"And unless you want to be pissing out of your belly button, I suggest that you drink this too. _All of it_."

Arthur's brows furrowed into a frown. "Why hullo there, Alistair. I didn't know that you came in the form of a 5'3 teenage girl," he remarked with a dry amount of sarcasm. This comment had earned him a murderous glower from Maddie. Arthur wilted. An angry Maddie was something to avoid at all costs. Her language became quite colorful to say the least. And if Arthur wasn't careful, his face would also gain some color. That is, in bruises, of course.

Maddie resumed flipping the pancakes. An awkward silence fell over the kitchen.

Arthur picked at his pancake, all the while picking at himself in his thoughts.

"Arthur?"

"Hmmm?"

"I invited Cheya over."

"Yes, yes. I know," he mumbled. "Something to do with a movie night?"

Maddie nodded her head. "I'm throwing it on the 22nd."

"Perfect! Now I know when I need to leave the house!"

Maddie turned around to give Arthur an incredulous look. Arthur sheepishly shrunk under her scowl. "You will do no such thing! This is the perfect opportunity for you guys to make up and move on!"

Silence.

Maddie's frustration was beginning to approach its boiling point. "Don't you want her back?"

Arthur scoffed. "Of course I do! But that doesn't mean that she'll want me back."

"Arthur, you know full well what she wants. She told you herself."

"Hmmph."

"Whatever happened to calling her?"

Arthur stubbornly crossed his arms. "I say a lot of stupid things when I'm drunk."

Maddie felt like pulling her hair out. She was tired of carrying the dead weight of her cousin's ignorance. Maddie had much more important things on her mind. Things that she herself wasn't very keen to talk about.

"You had the courage to apologize to her before. What's stopping you from doing it again?"

An unprecedented - _and unwanted_ \- interruption spared Arthur from answering her question.

"HAHAHA! That's a good joke, Maddie!" Alfred beamed, walking into the kitchen. Both Maddie and Arthur winced at the sheer loudness of his voice. Especially Arthur. His hangover made him more sensitive to loud and bright objects. Courtesy of drinking an insane amount of booze and being a complete and utter idiot.

"What joke?" Maddie asked with wary eyes.

Alfred cackled. Most of it was muffled as he pawed his way through the fridge. Nothing new. Eventually, he pulled out a tin tray filled with several rows of chocolate dipped strawberries. Alfred set the tray onto the kitchen counter with another loud smack. Arthur let out a pitiful groan and covered his ears.

"YOU, LIL SIS!"

"Me?!" Maddie spluttered.

Alfred grinned. He slumped a heavy arm over Maddie's shoulders, causing her knees to buckle. "You're good at dishing out advice but suck at following it."

Maddie grimaced. Alfred took this as his cue to implore further. He had her right where he wanted her. "What ever happened between you and Gilbert? Hmmmm~?"

Maddie deadpanned. Telling her brother about her love life was a fatal mistake. Maddie struggled to free herself from Alfred's embrace. A ruthless elbow to the stomach did the trick quite well. After that, Maddie didn't hesitate to clamp a hand over Alfred's huge, chatterbox mouth. "I have no idea what you're talking about," she bluffed.

 _Tabarnac! Hopefully Arthur didn't hear that..._

Unfortunately, Alfred's muffled shouts were coherent enough for Alfred to understand. "Looks like someone hasn't confessed their feelings yet~!" Alfred used his free hand to tickle Maddie in the rib cage. Maddie jolted and removed her hand from his mouth. Alfred grinned. He ruffled Maddie's hair with a hard knuckled fist.

Arthur cleared his throat, looking very uncomfortable. Maddie screeched and aimed a well-deserved kick to Alfred's shin. "Sorry to interrupt, but did you just say Gilbert...?

The feuding siblings broke apart from their mini wrestling match. They turned around to face their disgruntled cousin. Alfred stuck a finger in his mouth. When Maddie wasn't looking, he stuck the spit covered finger in her left ear. Rage contorted over Maddie's face. This meant war.

"NATALIA?!" Maddie screeched.

"YEAH?!" Natalia fondly screeched back. If that was even possible.

"ALFRED'S BEING A JACKASS AGAIN. CAN YOU COME AND GET HIM?!"

The creak of the bed and the thump on the floor answered Maddie's question. Betrayal flashed in Alfred's eyes.

"Thanks a lot," he muttered, scowling all the while. Alfred grabbed his food tray. He gave Maddie one last look of warning before he retreated upstairs. The fight wasn't over. It was simply paused for the time being. Alfred had an angry girlfriend to placate and Maddie had a stubborn cousin to knock some sense into.

"So..." Arthur started. The awkwardness was almost unbearable. "How come you guys were talking about Gilbert..."

Maddie blushed. "I...um...may or may not have feelings for him," she finished weakly. Her voice trailed off into a faint whisper.

Arthur's head banged against the kitchen table. Yup. That would _totally_ help him recover from his hangover; _idiot._

"Let me get this straight. You have a crush on the guy who confessed his love to Cheya...?" he groaned, hiding his face under folded arms.

Maddie woefully nodded her head. "It appears so."

Arthur's reaction summed the entire situation in one simple word.

"Fuck."

* * *

 **Alfred's POV:**

Alfred quietly opened the door to his room. He poked his head around the wooden frame and sighed out of relief when he realized that his girlfriend wasn't waiting for the right moment to pounce. It wouldn't be the first time that she tried to strangle him. Natalia was sitting on the foot of his Captain America themed bed. The video game on the flat screen TV was paused. Natalia had a game controller placed in her lap. Her fingers tapped against the side of the plastic. She was impatiently awaiting for his return. Alfred attempted to sneak into the room. The creak of the old floor boards gave him away. A pair of fierce, lilac eyes shifted their glare. They bore right into Alfred. They were eyes strangely similiar to that of her own brother's. Unrelenting, sharp, and occasionally creepy...

 _Alfred bit back a sob. He had finally come to the realization that his perfect angel of a truck, Amelia, was getting old. Alfred soothed a hand over the cold, frosted blue surface of the truck. Natalia rolled her eyes and scoffed. "I'm calling a tow truck," she muttered. The Belarusian turned on her heels and headed off in the direction of the University's central building, Byzantian Hall. Natalia was tired of waiting out in the cold. Alfred, on the other hand, didn't intend on moving. He couldn't bear to leave his broken, darling truck alone. Especially in frigid temperatures._

 _"Nat?" Natalia turned around. Her lips pursed into an irritated frown. Alfred almost smirked. Natalia had Russian blood in her. You would think that she would be used to the cold. But alas, the freezing weather only added to her residual grumpiness. Alfred reached into his coat, pulled out his wallet, and tossed it across the parking lot. He knew that, without fail, Natalia would catch it. After all, a proper dart thrower was supposed to have good reflexes._

 _As expected, Natalia caught the wallet with little effort at hand. Alfred winked. "Buy us something to eat while you're at it." Alfred shrunk under her glowering gaze. "Please?" he squeaked. Natalia hummed her agreement and stalked off without saying another word._

 _Alfred sighed. Sometimes he wished that she could act a bit nicer towards him. But then again, Natalia was trying. She had been putting in a considerable amount of effort into their relationship lately. Natalia was shy. Which meant that he typically had to make the first move. And o_ _verall, Alfred didn't mind the extra work. Natalia showed that she cared. And that's all that mattered to him in the end. Alfred considered it a miracle in itself that he could make her smile once in a while. Alfred grinned widely at the thought. She had such a beautiful smile. It was a shame that she didn't wear it more often..._

 _"Privet, comrade." Alfred froze. He could recognize that chilling, child-like voice from anywhere. It was none other than the Commie bastard himself, Braginski. Alfred cursed under his breath. He squared his jaw, preparing himself for yet another stand off with the Russian devil. Alfred spun around. A pair of twinkling violet eyes stared back at him. Braginski shed him with a provoking half smile. Alfred was already livid._

 _Braginski stood before him, adorned in his usual beige trench coat and beloved white scarf. The smirking Russian leaned an elbow against Amelia's side mirror. The metal squeaked and buckled under the pressure._

 _Alfred grit his teeth. Every move of Braginski's was calculated. The bastard was doing this_ on purpose.

 _Braginski smirked at Alfred. He was daring for Alfred to make a comment._

 _Alfred bit his tongue. He saw red and tasted iron. "How's it going, Braginski?" he growled. The bastard may have been his girlfriend's brother, but that didn't mean that Alfred was obligated to treat him with respect. Alfred would show respect where it was deserved. And Braginski's patronizing glare sure as hell didn't deserve any respect. Only when that bastard wiped off the conceited, holier than thou look from his face would Alfred ever treat him in an agreeable manner._

 _Braginski chuckled at Alfred's blatant disgruntlement. "KolKolKol. It appears that your engine's leaking," he remarked, pointing a gloved hand towards the front end of the truck. Black motor oil littered the snow in small patches._

 _"Yeah," Alfred challenged, quick to be on the defensive. "What about it?" A cool wind swept across the parking lot. Alfred wasn't surprised by this in the slightest. Wherever Braginski went, coldness tended to follow. Alfred deadpanned. Really? Back at it again with that freaky purple aura? Geez. This bastard didn't know when to quit. It was an aura of pain and creeping misery. It seemed to encompass an ongoing and imminent threat; it spelled destruction and alluded to domination._

 _But Alfred would never let himself cower in the face of Braginski. He used sheer will power to counter the unfair authority of this psychotic, power crazed, and delusional gargantuan of a man. Braginski didn't like to be opposed. Alfred didn't like to follow the lead of anyone other than himself. The rivaling pair loathed each other. It was only a matter of time before their true colors showed. The veils of their jovial facades were on the brink of shattering._

 _CREAK._

 _Alfred winced. Amelia creaked under the weight of Braginski's arm once more. The bastard feigned surprise. He lifted his arm off of the truck with a cryptic smile. Alfred furrowed his brows. Braginski patted a gloved hand over his front coat pocket. It appeared to contain a long, thin object of sorts. It was no longer than two feet in length. Alfred felt unnerved by the all-knowing glare in Braginski's eyes. It caused the hairs on his neck to stand up. His violet eyes invited Alfred to look at his pocket. Alfred regarded it as a warning. But what was in there? Alfred narrowed his eyes. Much to his frustration, he couldn't quite make out the object._

 _CLAP!_

 _Ivan had unexpectedly clapped both of his hands together._

 _Alfred cursed. Damnit! He flinched. Braginski was sure to get some satisfaction out of that. "Oh. Nothing at all, Mr. Jones." Braginski beamed. His eyes crinkled into irritating crescents when he laughed._

 _"But..." Braginski drew out his sentence just to piss off Alfred. "I didn't come here to chat about car troubles. I'd like to have a quick word with you, if you don't mind."_

 _Alfred decided to make a bold move. He would get straight to the point and cut out any unnecessary bantering. "It's about Natalia, isn't it?"_

 _A brief flare of anger crossed over Braginski's face. Only to slip back into its residual cool and collected composure. Alfred smirked. This was one of the few times that he had been able to get under the Russian's thick skin. He was savouring every glorious moment of it._

 _"How very insightful of you. But yes, I would like to discuss this '_ dating _' matter with you."_

 _Braginski scowled. The memory of the elevator incident was still fresh in his mind._

 _"Natalia doesn't take to many people. And when I saw that she had taken to you, I couldn't help but be a bit skeptical."_

 _Braginski's hand hovered over his front pocket. A teasing of some sorts. "I then decided_ _to investigate the matter myself..."_

 _Something in the back of his mind told Alfred that Braginski's investigating meant sabotage. "Alright," Alfred shrugged, ignoring Braginiski's creepy glare. "That's understandable. If my little sister started dating someone, I would also want to get to know them better."_

 _CLAP!_

 _Alfred revolted. DAMNIT! He flinched again!_

 _"My sestra tells me that Natalia will be residing at your house over the break." Braginski spoke slowly. "Is that true?"_

 _Alfred pursed his lips in thought. So Natalia herself didn't tell Braginski about their plans. How odd..._

 _"Yes."_

 _"How come?"_

 _"I asked her to?"_

 _"Perhaps I'm not being clear._ _Why do you want her to stay with you?"_

 _Alfred reciprocated Braginski's penetrating glower. He looked the Russian straight in his unwavering, malevolent violet eyes. "Natalia's my girlfriend and I love her. Do I need any other reason to want to spend time with her?"_

 _Braginski appeared to be satisfied with this answer. He shed Alfred with one last wolfish grin before he turned on his heels, pushing his billowing, white scarf over his right shoulder._

 _Alfred cocked his head to the side. What was Braginski planning? It wasn't like him to cave in so easily..._

 _Braginski took a step forward. His back stood tall and straight. "Take care of my dear little Natalia, Mr. Jones. Because if you don't..."_

 _The Russian's voice trailed off. A fierce wind blew across the parking lot, taking Braginski's final words of parting along with it._

 _Alfred shivered. It was from both the cold and the ominous chill that Braginski sent down his spine._

 _…_

 _"Because if you don't, a leaking engine will be the least of your worries."_

 _Braginski chuckled. He pulled out his favourite weapon from the front pocket of his coat; a shiny, sterling silver faucet pipe._

 _What a pity to have a stalled vehicle, da?_

* * *

 **Natalia's POV:**

 _Natalia called a tow truck. Once that was done and over with, she walked into a small breakfast cafe and stood in line. Natalia grinned to herself. She planned to rob her boyfriend dry. Serves him right for making her run his errands. Hmmm. Perhaps she could get a latte. With whip cream and a drizzle of chocolate sauce. Chocolate shavings was a must as well. Natalia pursed her lips in thought. What else would make her drink cost more...Dear God._ _Natalia grimaced. She was turning into a stereotypical, American girl. Next thing she knew she would be wearing uggs and begging her sister to buy her the latest version of the iphone._

 _The Belarusian shuddered._

 _This type of thinking needed to stop._

 _Now._

..

 _Natalia ran a finger over the trimmings of Alfred's wallet. She scoffed while inspecting it. It had the familiar blue, red, and white pin strips of the American flag. Go figure. Her boyfriend had always been a strong patriot of his father's home country._

 _"Nice looking wallet, da?" Natalia froze. She didn't dare to turn around. A brief moment of silence passed. Natalia flinched. The weight of her brother's gloved palm came crashing down onto her shoulder. She stood strong. Her knees still buckled under the weight, however. Natalia deadpanned. And Ivan wonders why he stunted Raivais' growth. He was putting enough pressure to break her spine. Ivan had always had a 'peculiar' way of expressing his fondness for others. Especially when it came to their trembling Latvian cousin._

 _"Natalia," Ivan chided. "Aren't you going to say hello to your big brother?"_

 _Natalia grit her teeth. Ivan was just trying to make her feel guilty. Which was odd, because usually it would be the other way around. When she was younger, Natalia would throw a fit if Ivan didn't give her enough attention. The irony of this situation was baffling._ He _was now the one to beg for_ her _attention._

 _A sheepish expression crossed over Natalia's face. She slowly spun around to meet the beaming face of her brother. The weight of his hand was still heavy on her shoulders._

 _"Hello brother," She muttered._

 _Ivan chuckled. "As warm as always," he remarked, taking his hand off of her shoulder, much to her secret relief._

 _"It's funny that I bumped into you here. I walk past this cafe all the time, but for some odd reason I felt compelled to stay and buy something."_

 _Natalia didn't fall for this ruse. They both knew that he was here because of her._

 _Natalia nervously fidgeted with the bow in her hair. Ivan smirked. He knew her all too well. He was well accustomed to picking up on the body language of his darling, younger sister. He decided to tease her further. For satisfaction's sake, of course. "Katyusha told me something interesting the other night."_

 _Natalia cursed under her breath. She had specifically told Katyusha not to say anything. Damn. Ivan had probably sweetened her up with some vodka. Da. That must be it. Ivan always brought vodka on his visits. And Katyusha sure loved to talk when she had enough booze in her. Even more so than when she was sober. (Groan). This was why Natalia lived in residence during the school year. She could only stand her bubbly sister in small doses._

 _Natalia discreetly made a mental note to herself. Before she left for the break, she'd have to pay a quick visit to the campus breakfast dinner that Katyusha worked at. In other words, she was going to give her boobs for brains sister a piece of her damned mind._

 _"Oh?" Natalia thoughtfully hummed. "What did she say?"_

 _Natalia hated to play along with her brother's whims. But there was still the chance that Katyusha hadn't told him about her plans for the break. Holding onto this small bout of hope, Natalia feigned ignorance._

 _"That you would be residing with Mr. Jones over the break."_

 _Nope. Never mind. Any hope that Natalia held onto had just snapped in two. Just like poor little Ravais' spine._

 _"Is that true?"_

 _Natalia grimaced. "Da."_

 _The Belarusian pretended to ignore the angry flare that lit up in her brother's eyes. She could tell that he was trying very hard to maintain his complacent expression. It was his stiffness that gave away his true feelings over the matter._

 _"Natalia," Ivan spoke through clenched teeth. "Isn't it foolish to stay over at a boy's house this soon into a relationship? You haven't known him for that long. What if he does something that you don't like? Who will be there to help you then?"_

 _Natalia shed Ivan with a genuine smile. She made sure to place a tad bit of malice into it as well. "You're mistaken, brother. I've known Mr.-"_

 _Natalia paused to correct herself. "I've known Alfred for more than a year now..."_

 _"I guess what I'm trying to say is..." Natalia bit her lip. Better to be blunt than sorry. "I like him a lot. I trust him like he is my own flesh and blood."_

 _Ivan let out a loathsome sigh. He acted big, but had a soft spot in his heart reserved just for her. If Natalia had her mind set on something, he would graciously back down. She could, after all, become quite terrifying when angered._

 _"Will you two be alone?" Ivan's face contorted into a painful looking frown._

 _Natalia shook her head. She rolled her eyes at her brother's awkward insinuation. "Nyet. His sister and male cousin will be staying there as well." Ivan didn't look all that relieved._

 _"I'll be staying in the guest bedroom," Natalia added in as an afterthought. Ivan -at least- appeared to be somewhat relieved by this fact._

 _"Next!"_

 _Natalia walked up to the front counter and put in her order. The Cashier gave her an odd look. The look was warranted. Natalia had ordered a lot of food. Five hash browns and three breakfast sandwiches for Alfred and a latte and banana nut muffin for herself. Natalia scowled. Stupid, fatass American._

 _"That'll be $37.50!"_

 _Natalia pulled out Alfred's wallet. Ivan held up a hand and offered to pay. Natalia protested. Ivan waved her off with a kind smile._

 _"It's the least that I can do for someone who will be looking after my dear little sis~!"_

 _Natalia raised her brows. Ivan was hiding something; she just didn't know what it was._

 _…_

 _"Natalia?"_

 _"Yes, brother_ _?"_

 _"If Mr. Jones doesn't treat you well, make sure that he becomes one with the ground, da?"_

 _"Brother!"_

 _"Kolkolkolkol."_

* * *

 **Natalia's POV:**

"NAT! STOP DOING THAT! IT'S CHEATING!" Natalia grinned devilishly. She used her kirby avatar to swallow and absorb the powers from Alfred's link avatar. Natalia wasn't well accustomed with video games. But she very much enjoyed playing this one in particular. What was it called again? Super Hit Bros? Ah. Whatever. The game was fun anyhow. It was strangely satisfying to beat up virtual characters. Even more so because it was Alfred's.

With a victorious cry, Natalia guided Kirby to the edge. She flew him up and above the fighting stage until he was at the edge of the cliff. She had Kirby spit out Link. With a dramatic kyaaaah, Link fell to his untimely death.

"GAME OVER!" A deep, manly voice bellowed from inside the game. The scene faded and the results were painted in bold, red letters. Natalia mused to herself. How fitting.

"I win~!" Natalia remarked in a smug voice, holding out her palm. "I'll have my prize now."

Alfred groaned. He reached over to grab the last chocolate dipped strawberry from the tray. Natalia snatched the strawberry from his hands and popped it into her mouth. She gleefully swallowed the treat with a smirk. Alfred glowered at her from the corner of his eye. He had his back turned to her. His face contorted into a childish looking pout.

"It's cheap to use the same move all the time," he whined.

"Stop being a sore loser and accept your defeat."

Alfred gave her a weird look. "Hmmm, that's weird..."

Natalia frowned. "What?"

Alfred beamed. His unrelenting happiness was blinding. "You're smiling Nat!"

Natalia closed her mouth. She hadn't even realized that she was smiling. Not only that, but she was smiling wider than ever before. The blush on her face was instantaneous. "S-so what? It's not like I've never smiled before, y-you stupid moron!"

Alfred leaned over to plant a kiss on her reddening cheek. "I'm glad."

"For what?!" Natalia stammered. She purposefully avoided eye contact with the cerulean blue eyes that she knew were ogling at her with an embarrassing amount of pride.

"I'm glad that you're enjoying yourself."

 _Huh. Me too._

 _Stupid American._

* * *

 **Thanks to:** Efficient and Layla for Reviewing Last Chapter.

 **Hey Guys…I don't know if I want to continue with this story. It's come to the point where the amount of effort I'm putting in hasn't been worth it in the long run. I'm discouraged. I've seen my audience for this story grow exponentially, yet hardly 20% of those reading the story this have favourited, followed or reviewed (thanks to those who have, you all hold a special place in my heart). It makes me wonder if there's something wrong with my writing (I don't know how to improve it, am I doing something wrong?). I work so hard to get a chapter up every week, but now I don't know… and I'd be lying if I said that I haven't been feeling this for some time now.**

 **A/N (June 2016):** I'll admit it, this was a pretty low point in time for me when I wrote this, but I kept it up to show other ff authors that writing a story isn't always easy. You will hit some bumps, but just keep pushing through OK? I may not be writing this story every week now, but I will work on finishing it. I hope I didn't set the wrong example, and I'm sorry if I scared anyone.


	28. Cold Potato, Passing Out

**Cold Potato, Passing Out:**

 **Cheya's POV: (December 19th) 11:00 AM**

Ah. Life could never be so miserable and comforting. Right now I was glued to my bed. My lap top was propped on top of a fountain of pillows. I was spending, or rather, wasting my time watching a montage of vines and famous youtubers. Anything that distracted my mind from the insane amount of junk food that I was currently stuffing into my mouth. I was beyond full. But sometimes you just got to down that entire bag of cheetos or smear that extra glob of whip cream on top of your pancakes. Because lets be honest here. If your life is empty like mine, then your best and only option is to resort to gluttony. Hey. We can't all be happy. But at least we can satisfy our stomachs.

Papa rapped his knuckles against my bedroom door. "Chome in," I huffed, raising my tea mug full of Mountain Dew to help wash down the salty, but every glorious taste of my cheese puffs. Mon Dieu. I was such a mess. Papa must have thought so too. He walked into my room and let out the inevitable tsking sound. He clearly didn't approve of my miserable looking state.

Papa gave me a quick once over. His eyes darted between my lady bug onsie, to my hair, which was held up in a nappy, messy bun, to my laundry basket, which was brimming to the top with dirty clothes, and finally to the pile of chip bags, crackers, and cookie boxes that were stacked at the foot of my bed. Papa sat beside me on the bed. His eyebrows furrowed in disgust. He now understood why I was going to the grocery store so often. You see, Papa doesn't approve of junk food. He always makes time in his day to prepare whole and hearty meals. But to me, nothing says whole and hearty like a life time of sugar and unhealthy blood pressure spikes.

"So that's where you've been off to!" Papa scoffed. He reached for a box of oatmeal cookies.

I leapt out of my cradled position and spread out my arms. I would protect my food stash at all costs. "Hands off," I growled. I wasn't going to let him trash the only thing that gave me solace in this time of misery.

Papa sighed. He raised both hands in surrender. "Fine," he said, rolling his eyes. "But don't come crying to me when you get high blood pressure."

I laughed. "HA! You sound just like..." I trailed off. "You sound just like..." I couldn't finish my sentence. If I did I would most likely break down into tears. I swallowed a huge lump in my throat.

Papa placed a hand over my head. He shed me with a weak smile. "Shhh," he chided. "My poor darling little girl. Heart broken and all alone."

"Hey!" I snapped. "I'm not completely friendless!"

"Oh really now?" Papa mused. "How come I haven't seen any of them lately?"

The door bell rang. I smirked. "Well, would you look at that! Visitors!"

Papa gave me a stern look. He stood up from the bed. "You didn't tell me that you were inviting people over," he lectured. I rolled my eyes and scoffed. Most of the time he encourages me to bring people over. But only if I give him a heads up before hand. God forbid that I deprive him from the opportunity to look his best in front our guests. Tragic, I know.

"They called ten minutes ago. How was I supposed to know?" I grumbled.

Papa tutted a snide remark under his breath. He walked over to the bedroom door and placed a hand on the wooden frame.

Papa shed me with one last pitiful look. Ouch. I know that I look like shit. But he could at least try to disguise the obviousness of his 'merde' face from me. Get it, haha? His face crinkled up so much that you would think that he had just smelled something real nasty. Man. Arthur was right. Tumblr truly was poisoning my brain...Oh my. This needed to stop. I couldn't stop thinking about him.

And don't even get me started about Gilbert. The boy's phone had been shut off for days. My chances to apologize to him were cut short.

I shook my head. The grimace on my face shifted into a pouting frown. I didn't want to make Papa worry too much about me. He's been real nice the past few days. It was time to pull myself together and take charge of things.

Papa's voice chorused in the upstairs hallway. "We're cleaning your room later."

I'll take charge of everything except for that, thank you very much.

I groaned. "Fine. Just get the door will you?" Papa left without another word. I was quick to hide my treats after that. The cookies went under the wooden frame of my bed. The crackers went in the drawer that I kept my school supplies in. And as for my chips? I hid those under my pillows. There were basically full of air anyways. I wouldn't experience too much loss if I crushed them by accident.

A loud shriek echoed from downstairs. I cocked my head to the side. Lovina? What was she doing here? Oh. That's right. Antonio doesn't like to go anywhere without Lovina now. He wanted to show off his precious Lovi to the entire world. I repeat. The Spaniard was a giant dork. A lovable one. But still a dork nonetheless. I stepped out of my room and placed a hand on the staircase's railing. I grinned and looked down into the front foyer. An awkward, yet thoroughly amusing scene played right before my very eyes.

Bella and Antonio stood in the coat room. Their eyes were wide as they looked back and forth between Papa and Lovina. They were both confused as to why she was shrieking. I was also confused. I mean, I know that Papa can come off as a bit of a creep. But he only teased. He never actually meant any of of it. Ok. Maybe he meant some of it. Ugh. You know what I mean.

"THE FUCK?! YOU LIVE HERE?!"

As usual, Lovina's vulgarity went over everyone's heads.

"Ohonhonhon! Lovina, mon chere! It's been so long! My, my, you've grown into such a beautiful young woman!"

Papa looked at Bella and Antonio for back up. They were both too stunned to add anything to the conversation. Papa turned back to Lovina. The blush on her face was evident.

"How is dear little Feliciana doing~?"

I took this time to gracelessly cut into the conversation.

"Papa?" I spluttered, slowly making my way downstairs. I almost tripped over the last step while doing so. "You and Lovina know each other?"

Lovina didn't look at Papa when she spoke. Something must have been really interesting about her shoes. She spoke in a gruff voice. "Feliciana's doing well, thanks for asking."

Lovina's brows furrowed together. The pieces clicked together in her head and she just about exploded. "HOLD UP A MINUTE! DID YOU JUST SAY PAPA?!"

"Oui," Papa beamed, answering my question and ignoring the Italian's bulging eyes. "Lovina is Romulus' granddaughter. I used to give her and her twin sister cooking lessons when they were younger."

Ah. That explains some things. I remember how fondly old Romulus used to speak of his twin granddaughters. In fact, Papa was the one who had written them a recommendation letter. Getting his granddaughters into a good cooking school was everything that Romulus prayed for. It never crossed my mind that that program was at Hetalia University.

I giggled. "Small world, huh?" I gestured to Papa, who took a courteous, girlish bow in response.

"Lovina, this is my Papa. Most people call him Francis."

"Monsieur Francis," Papa corrected with a sly smile.

I rolled my eyes. "You don't have to call him that. He's only teasing."

Papa pouted. "Le boo. You always ruin my fun."

Lovina's mouth gaped open in shock. "It all makes sense now."

"What makes sense?" I asked. Papa draped an arm around my shoulder. We were both laughing at this point.

"The only two wine bastards that I've ever met are related to each other," Lovina concluded with a proud looking huff.

"Anyways," I interrupted. I had a hard time stifling my laughter. Papa winked at Lovina.

Lovina's face grew redder and redder by the second. Good thing Antonio was there to pat her on the back. Lovina coughed and spluttered. Choking on her own spit would be a tragic way to go.

"Why don't I meet you guys in the basement?" I suggested. "I still have to get dressed."

"Alright~!" Antonio beamed. He took off Lovina's coat and hung it up in the front closet. "By the way, Cheya. You should get some more sleep. You look really tired." I recoiled at this comment. Papa backtracked into the kitchen. He sensed the imminent danger lurking ahead. Sheltering himself from the threat of a young woman's rage, correction, three young women's rage was his top priority. Unfortunately, Antonio was too oblivious to realize his mistake.

The Spaniard had much to learn. It was more of a hands on type of lesson.

SLAP! Antonio's head flailed to the left, courtesy of Bella's hand.

PUNCH! Antonio's head flailed to the right, courtesy of Lovina's fist.

"JUST BECAUSE SHE'S NOT WEARING MAKE UP, IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT SHE'S TIRED!" Bella raged.

"YEAH! DO YOU SEE ANY BAGS UNDER HER EYES?" Lovina pointed a clawed finger at my face.

Antonio wiped a tear from the corner of his left eye. Lovina had hit him much harder than Bella.

Well this was odd. I didn't expect Bella and Lovina to get along so well. Once upon a time, even if the Belgian refused to admit this, she and Antonio used to have flings together. These flings typically occurred whenever they were drunk. But, judging by the devilish smirks that Lovina and Bella wore on their faces, it was clear to me that they held each other in high regard. They must have bonded over cussing out Antonio for his stupidity.

Antonio shrunk under all three of our glares. "I'll just let myself into the basement."

"GOOD IDEA," all three of us snarled.

Antonio sulked. He bowed his head and walked in the direction of the basement. Three set of eyes watched his every move.

Bella grabbed my elbow. I gasped and spluttered as she towed me in the direction of the staircase. "You have five minutes tops," She drilled.

"Take any longer and I'll drag you downstairs myself."

"Oui Bella," I grumbled in agreement like the good little mindless minion that I was.

…

I walked down into the basement. Screams echoed off of the walls. I wasn't all that surprised. Bella and Lovina were shouting at Antonio. Their fists waved about. Any insult that came to mind was used against the surrendering Spaniard. "IDIOTA! WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?! WAY TO KILL HER CONFIDENCE! NOW WE'LL NEVER GET HER TO LEAVE THE HOUSE!"

"LOVINA'S RIGHT! I MEAN, I KNOW THAT YOU WERE ALREADY A DUMBASS, ANTONIO. BUT REALLY?! DO I NEED TO SPELL OUT TO YOU HOW DUMB THAT COMMENT WAS?" Bella raked a frustrated hand through her hair.

"DON'T BOTHER," Lovina huffed. "IT'S BEST NOT TO CONFUSE THE ONLY THREE BRAIN CELLS THAT HE HAS."

"I SAID SORRY! WHAT MORE DO YOU WOMEN WANT? Antonio wailed.

I paused at the foot of the stairs. Antonio was sitting by himself on the couch. The Belgian and Italian duo towered over his slumped figure.

It looked like they were lecturing a small child.

I cleared my throat. Bella and Lovina shifted their glares to me. I took a few steps back. "Hi guys, hope you're doing well. Just letting you know that the entire fucking neighbor hood can hear you."

Bella ignored my sarcasm. She opted to take a cheap jab at my outfit. "Really?" she seethed. "Sweats? You literally just swapped one set of pajamas for the other."

I shrugged. "Back off. I'm comfy." I sat down on the couch next to Antonio. The Spaniard looked a bit relieved over the fact. We could now share Bella and Lovina's angry limelight together. Oh joy.

Bella scoffed. "Whatever." She began to pace in front of the couch.

Lovina snorted. Antonio purred and attempted to coax her into sitting on his lap. Lovina compromised by sitting next to him on the couch. She scowled and grumbled curses under her breath when he draped an arm around her shoulders. I scuttled over to the far end of the couch. Typically, I wasn't one to get jealous over another person's love affair. But I could only stand so much of Antonio's sobless whimpers. Don't know what I'm talking about? If Antonio doesn't receive enough attention, especially from a girl, he pouts. He pleads for more contact, which usually results in the other person finding themselves in a very compromising cuddling position.

Bella sniffed indignantly. "So, you must know why we're here?"

I didn't hesitate to return Bella's sarcasm. "Hmmm, I'm guessing that it has something to do with Gilbert?"

"Huh," Bella remarked. "I'm amazed that you can still function with all that sugar and caffeine in your body."

"Says the girl who drinks Red Bull infused Vodka every weekend," I retorted, crossing my arms.

"Oi!" Lovina snapped. She fruitlessly attempted to free herself from Antonio's arms. The Spaniard chuckled and hugged her even tighter than before. He had Lovina's face smushed again his collar bone. When she spoke all we heard were muffled grumbles. "Bitches are friends, not foes. Does the girl code not mean anything to you sluts?"

Bella smiled at Lovina. "Where have you been all my life?"

Lovina smirked back. "I think the better question is why haven't we met before?"

"Hey, hello," I waved around my hand. "Still here."

Bella diverted her attention back to me. "If you don't watch your tone, Lovina won't stop me from strangling you."

"You're right, I won't. Actually, I wouldn't mind seeing that." Antonio tsked at Lovina, whose grin only got wider at his chastising.

"Mon Dieu. Can we get to the point already?" I whined.

Bella rolled her eyes and huffed. "Lovina invited me to a movie night that you guys are having." Her brows furrowed in thought. "Hmmmm, what was that girl's name again?"

Bella looked at Lovina for help. Lovina was too busy swallowing a face full of Antonio's sweater.

I rolled my eyes. "Her name's Maddie."

It boggled my mind how every one seemed to forget about the Canadian.

Bella snapped her fingers together. "Yes! That's it! For some reason her name always slips my mind."

Bella resumed with her pacing. "Anyways, after we're done here, we'll be paying Gilbert a visit. And whether he likes it or not, he will also be going to this movie night."

"Fuck to the no," Lovina muttered to herself. "I'm not setting one foot in that potato's perverted lair."

I picked at my finger nails. I was already bored with this conversation. "Your point?"

"My point is that you're going to have to talk to him."

"Bella, I've tried. He doesn't want to speak to me."

"Try harder."

I sighed. There was no arguing with this girl. I agreed for the sake of placating her stubbornness. "Fine," I relented.

Another disturbing thought crossed my mind. "You do realize that Arthur's also going to be there..."

"WHAT?!" Bella, Lovina, and Antonio all spluttered in harmony.

I grimaced sheepishly under their glares. "Maddie and Arthur are cousins; did I not mention that?"

"NO! YOU MOST CERTAINLY DID NOT!" Bella fumed.

Lovina cackled. "FUCK! IS YOUR LIFE EVER MESSED UP!"

Antonio too attempted to stifle his laughter. He wasn't very successful in doing so. Bella's anger had lessened by a considerable amount. She shed me with a pitiful look. Jeez. What was up with people today? Did I really look that pathetic?

I sighed. "Oh Lovina. Only you would take pleasure from my pain."

Lovina beamed. "Damn straight, you crazy bitch!"

I smiled to hold back my tears. I would have to be more than a crazy bitch to deal with my lunatic group of friends. Friends that I was nonetheless very grateful to have.

* * *

 **Gilbert's POV: (December 19th, 11: 45 AM)**

For the first time in a week, Gilbert let himself sleep in. His Opa had taken away the keys to the truck. Apparently it wasn't acceptable to use up an entire tank of gas in one day. It didn't help that Gilbert refused to tell him where he went. And thus, Gilbert was banned from using the truck for the rest of the break. It's not like he would have been able to give his Opa a clear answer anyways. Gilbert didn't pay attention to his surroundings. He simply drove around town. He didn't know where he was going. But rather, he just knew that he was going. He visited places that let himself indulge in the tranquility of nothingness. Places that had no meaning and no memories to look back on. For an entire day, Gilbert would erase his worries. He became a blank state. He let his mind fill up with new, pointless adventures. Adventures that didn't require much deliberation on his part.

Times were so much easier when he was younger. He could remember the times where he would venture all around town, terrorizing those who came across his path. He never got bored from these adventures. He had three crazy friends to help him discover the wonders and funs of the world. Of course, there were times where he would grow lonely. But in his heart, Gilbert knew that it was his depression that amplified these feelings of helplessness. During these slumps, he found it much easier to write down his feelings. He already had a journal to keep track of his daily adventures. Creating a blog was just another way to express himself. It was easier this way. To control himself, that is. Writing everything down had a soothing effect. It calmed him. He didn't feel the need to tell anyone about how he was feeling. There was no need.

There was one person in his life, however, who had an uncanny ability to pick up on the hints of his depression. One look at him was all it took for her. Behind the cockiness of his smile, she spotted the lurking feelings of hurt, desperation, and resentment. Resentment that was mostly directed at himself. His attempts to collect himself into the person that he would never become was pathetic. Perhaps even pitiful.

Cheya had never pitied him. She gave him company in the times where he needed it most. Sure. Gilbert had always been a popular guy. He was constantly surrounded by people who looked up to him. But it was the simple, raw appreciation for his true self and not the loud mouthed boy that everybody knew and aspired to be after, that made Cheya stand out from the rest. Gilbert was lonely because people overlooked his true character. They simply saw him as the school's prankster extraordinaire.

Cheya didn't see him like this. She saw him as someone who was looking to connect with himself. His entire being had been consumed by the negative light that he despairingly cast onto himself. Gilbert teased and pranked because he wanted to be something. But being something, in his eyes, had never meant attention. It meant forming real, organic relationships and openly communicating one's own feelings, no matter how weird or personal that they were. Gilbert liked to talk. But he absolutely despised the superficiality of small talk. He liked passion. He strived for meaning and openness in a relationship. He wanted someone who could just sit there with him. No words needed to be exchanged. All they had to do was bask in the silent communication of familiarity and comfort.

And that's exactly what they did. Whenever Gilbert lapsed into his depression, Cheya visited him. They would simply sit in his room. Speaking wasn't necessary. They let their body language speak for itself. They would sit there for hours, watching movies, and if Gilbert was up for it, trolling on Omegle. If Cheya was feeling generous, she would even let him play with her hair. They thought nothing of these moments. It was just two friends hanging out and enjoying each other's company. But after years of being together, something snapped inside of Gilbert. His feelings for her had blossomed into something truly frightening. He loved her. And she loved him. Except her type of love wasn't the one that he had secretly been hoping for all along.

But loving Cheya was not the problem at hand. It was her betrayal of his trust that had brought Gilbert to his knees. Her betrayal had winded him. He could still picture the moment so vividly. His happiness had been shattered into countless, near unsalvageable pieces. He and Cheya had shared a connection so strong that when it broke, Gilbert felt alienated. He felt alienated from himself and from all others. He was helpless and hurt by the world that he had never trusted. The thought of Cheya moving on and leaving him had always lurked in the back of his mind. And now, his greatest fears had come true. Cheya had left him. He had been replaced by a man that she had only known for a short period of time. Just the thought of this was devastating.

They were supposed to tell each other everything. But Cheya had broken that bond the minute that she decided to turn her back on him. She flouted about in her own little world and didn't care about the effect that this would have on him. Gilbert grimaced. A small part of him knew that he was being selfish. Cheya had every right to date other people. She was in no means obligated to reciprocate his feelings. But, as his friend, she was in fact obligated to tell him about something as significant as a significant other. Hence, the significant part. Gilbert didn't care about the risks that she spoke of. If she really wanted to tell him, then she would have done so in a heart beat. Rules had never bound her down before. So why now?

Uncertainty was what had made Gilbert so furious in the first place. Cheya had distanced herself from him. And even if he Gilbert could push himself to forgive her, he wouldn't know where to start. She wasn't the same anymore. She had grown on her own. So much so, that Gilbert wasn't even sure if he knew her anymore. He was scared, bitter, and alone. He may have come to terms with what had happened. But no amount of time could ever erase the hurt that he felt from that night.

Muffled barking could be heard. This was followed by the scratching of claws against the wood of his bedroom door. Gilbert groaned and pulled the covers over his head. It must have been close to noon. Ludwig typically took Hans for a walk at this time. Unfortunately, his tight butthole of a brother was sick with the flu. Hans had no other choice but to pester Gilbert with his bladder troubles.

BORK! SCRATCH! SCRATCH!

Gilbert waited. He knew that Hans would eventually be able to paw his way into the room. He didn't leave his door completely shut. Gilbert left it open by a slight crack. Just for moments like this. He wanted to see his fatass of a dog attempt to squeeze himself through the door. Gilbert poked his head above the covers. He grinned. Hans poked his massive bear-like head through the door. "Go on," Gilbert teased. "You know what you have to do."

Hans sniffed and pawed at the door, whimpering all the way. Gilbert scoffed. "Don't play dumb with me, Hans. This is your solo mission kesese." Hans took this cue as an excuse to ram straight into the door. The canine barged into the room. Gilbert gulped. Hans was giving him 'the look.' The look that meant that he was about to leap on the bed and tackle him with a crushing hug. Gilbert didn't have much time to flee. Hans let out a doggy warrior cry. The canine leapt forward and pounced on Gilbert's chest. All air escaped from the albino's lungs.

Gilbert gasped. "FUCK!" he yelped. "What has Opa been feeding you?" Hans fondly settled himself on top of Gilbert's wheezing chest. The albino chuckled in response.

The canine tucked his head under Gilbert's chin and whimpered. The albino was quick to relent. "Well, when you put it like that, I suppose that the awesome me can take you for a walk."

Hans growled at nipped at Gilbert's hand. He implored for the albino to continue scratching the 'special spot' behind his ear.

Gilbert rolled his eyes. "Sucking up to me because West isn't here to baby you? For shame, Hans," he scolded. "For shame."

DING DONG!

BORK! BORK!

Hans forgot that he was lying atop of Gilbert's chest. The canine stood up. Gilbert winced. Hans raced off to go and bark at whoever was at the front door. It was a good thing that Gilbert had a blanket to protect himself from the wrath of Hans' claws. Otherwise his chest would look just like Antonio's face after one of Lovina's temper tantrums.

"Silly dog," Gilbert mused.

The albino climbed out of bed. He slipped on a white cotton t-shirt and a pair of black sweat pants. He didn't have the motivation to put any effort into his appearance.

BORK! BORK!

"HANS! STOP BARKING. YOU'RE GOING TO WAKE UP WEST!" Gilbert snapped.

"IT'S A LITTLE TOO LATE FOR THAT, YOU DUMMKOPF," Ludwig croaked back.

…

Gilbert grabbed Hans by the collar and pulled him out of the way. He opened the front door. Standing there was an irritated looking Bella and a fearful looking Antonio.

SLAM!

Gilbert shut the door. He turned on his heels and headed off into the kitchen. The doorbell rang several times after that. Hans, of course, went mad at the very sound of it.

BORK! BORK!

Grumbling, Gilbert padded over to the front door once more. Although, he really wished that he hadn't. The moment that the door swung open, Bella elbowed her way inside. Antonio was quick on her heels. Gilbert rolled his eyes. "Make yourself at home," he sarcastically grumbled.

The German trudged forward, entering the kitchen.

"You're just lucky that I'm going to let that little stunt of yours slide." Bella hissed and stormed into the kitchen. She pulled up a chair at the small wooden table. Antonio joined her. He was too busy petting and cooing at Hans to scold Gilbert for his un-host like behaviour.

Gilbert spared Antonio a confused look. He thought it best to poke some fun at his Spanish friend. "Toni!" he gasped out, feigning surprise. "What ever will you do without your precious Lovina? I thought that she was your second half!" Seriously. The Spaniard took that crazy Italian everywhere.

"She didn't want to risk bumping into Ludwig," Antonio answered. He waved off Gilbert's sarcasm with a simple ' _don't you dare patronize me or I'll end you_ ' eye roll.

"Hmmm," Gilbert mused. He would never understand Lovina's hatred for Ludwig. Sure. He was dating Feli now. But that didn't grant her the right to wish death upon the poor boy.

Gilbert smirked. He propped up an elbow against the kitchen counter and stuck up his chin. "So...did you miss the awesome me?"

Bella shed Gilbert with a cheeky grin. "Yes, actually, I did. But that's besides the point. Do you know why we're here?"

"Ja," Gilbert scowled. "You're here to talk to me about _her._ "

"Ouch. Since when did Cheya become a her?" Bella chuckled. "That's a bit harsh, don't you think?"

Gilbert bit his tongue. Yes. His friends were trying to help. But they would never understand the memories and experiences that he and Cheya shared together. They would never understand just how broken she had made him feel. They were ignorant to so many of his pains that it was almost funny to watch them grasp at pull at the straws that in the end, were completely irrelevant and meaningless.

Gilbert chose to ignore Bella's latter question. "Look. What happened between us is much more personal than you think. I could sit here for hours trying to explain how I felt and how I still feel over the matter. But I don't think that I can bring myself to do that. I'm still trying to wrap my head around things. Anything that I say would be a complete waste of your time. I appreciate your concern. Really, I do. But you can't help me and you probably never will."

Antonio stopped petting Hans and looked up. His green eyes pierced right through Gilbert's facade. The Spaniard had slipped into his soldier mode. Whenever Antonio became angry, he had this stoic, determined look in his eyes that would cause any sane person to flee for their life.

"You think that we don't know that?" Antonio seethed. "Gilbert, we've known all along. Cheya was always the one who helped you out of your slumps..."

Gilbert opened his mouth to protest. Antonio held up his hand to silence him.

"As your friends, we know about your lows and pride ourselves on your highs. But we also know, like you said before, that there's nothing much that we can do about it. But what we can do is be there for you. And by doing that, Bella and I refuse to stand by and watch you throw away the only friend who stood by you through it all. Yes. She made a mistake. But we all know for a fact that she's torn herself to pieces over it.

"Gilbert, you are like a brother to me. And as my sibling, please, do yourself a favor and just talk to her. I can't stand to watch this familia get torn apart. Not when we're so young. Not when we have so much left to enjoy together in our lives."

Bella sniffled and rubbed at her eyes. "You think that we don't know but we do," she croaked. "We've grown up together. We've watched you fall. But with Cheya, we've seen you rise. We're not trying to force you to make up with her by any means. And if you don't want anything to do with her, we'll understand. But, it would be a shame for you guys to end things on such a terrible note."

Huh. So they did know after all. Gilbert suddenly felt guilty for mocking their cluelessness. Here they were, two friends who truly cared about him, and all he could do was resent them for not 'understanding him properly.' Keh. What a pitiful excuse of a person he was. He didn't deserve to call these people his friends.

Gilbert swallowed. He bit his lip to keep his conflicting emotions at bay. "I wish I could tell you guys that I'll get over this. But if I did, I would be lying to two of the best friends that I've ever had."

Gilbert paused in order to collect himself. His eyes began to water. "Honestly, I don't know if I'll ever bring myself to do it. I may have forgiven her. But it still doesn't take away any of the hurt that I feel over the matter..."

Bella and Antonio stood up from the kitchen table. They opened their arms and pulled Gilbert into a tight group hug. Gilbert froze. He tensed up and willed himself not to cry.

Bella sobbed into Gilbert's chest. "I'm so glad Gil!"

"About what?" Gilbert croaked, awkwardly patting Bella on the head. He distracted himself by playing with the red ribbon that was tied into her hair.

"That you're healing." Antonio finished for Bella, who couldn't bring herself to speak.

"Oh," Gilbert mumbled in a daze. He squeezed his eyes shut, blinking the tears out of his eyes. "Danke."

Bella and Antonio pulled away from the hug. Their faces were warm with pride.

"Will you be going to the movie night on the 22nd?" Bella asked.

Gilbert nodded. "Ja. I already promised Maddie that I would go."

"Cheya's going to be there," Antonio warned.

"Hey, if I survived watching Bella attempt to break dance in roller blades, I'm sure that I'll be able to cope with one measly party." Gilbert shuddered at the thought.

"Seriously, I almost suffered from a seizure no thanks to you."

For once in her life, Bella refrained from smacking Gilbert upside the head. "You're the one who gave me all that beer," she scoffed. "I was drunk out of my mind."

Gilbert smirked. If he was going to go to that party, then he as well, would have to be drunk out of his mind.

* * *

 **Gilbert's POV: (December 19th, 12:30 PM)**

It took Gilbert a while to calm down after his friends left. He decided to treat his woes with a full stomach. He pried his way through the kitchen. Eventually, Gilbert pulled out some left over ham. He placed the pink meat on a wooden chopping board and cut it into finer slices. He planned to make himself an awesome tasting sandwich. If Ludwig wasn't sick, Gilbert would have made one for him too. Unfortunately, the former could barely keep anything down. Ludwig puked out anything that wasn't a liquid. So not awesome.

Hans sat impatiently by Gilbert's side. His whimpers grew louder as time went on. Gilbert refused to look the canine in the eye. Doing so would be catastrophic. Hans had mastered his begging face. Gilbert couldn't stand to see the disappointment in those wide brown eyes of his. Hans whimpered much louder this time. Gilbert cursed under his breath. Hans was an old dog. His cholesterol was already high enough as it was.

"If I give you anymore ham, you're going to die from a premature heart attack. Do you want that? Do you want to die early?" he lectured. Hans responded by running a desperate, pleading claw along Gilbert's pant leg. He was quick to relent after that.

"Oh fine," Gilbert snapped. He cut off a decent sized piece of ham for the whimpering canine.

Gilbert crouched over and held out his hand for Hans. The canine's tail wagged furiously. He had finally gotten his owner to buckle under the weight of his feigned misery. Hans was quick to snatch the piece of ham from Gilbert's open palm, looking smug as he happily chewed away on his pity food. Gilbert scoffed. He walked over to the sink and ran his hand under the tap. He washed away the slober that Hans had semi-intentionally wiped onto him. The canine had always had a knack for getting under his skin. After wiping his hands dry with a dish towel, Gilbert placed two slices of bread into the toaster.

CLANG!

Gilbert heard the clang of a plate hitting the wall. He turned around. Hans had hopped onto the kitchen counter. His two front paws attempted to swipe and bring the plate of ham closer to him. The canine was failing miserably. His snout had pushed the plate forwards as opposed to towards him.

"SCRAM, YOU LITTLE BRAT!" Gilbert quipped in German.

Hans scampered out of the kitchen, his head hung low. The canine's tail sunk between his legs as he padded off to sulk in the living room.

DING DONG!

BORK! BOR-

"SHUT UP!" Hans stopped mid bark. He aimed a confused glance at Gilbert. "Oh. So now you decide to listen to me," Gilbert grumbled. For the third time today, he trudged over to the front door.

Scowling all the while, Gilbert wrenched open the door. "Listen. I'm not interesting in joining your Church. Jesus and I are already BFF's..." Gilbert faltered in the middle of his rant. The person standing on his door step was not in fact from the town's local Jesus cult.

A distressed looking Feli stood before him. Her eyes were wide with fright. She also appeared to be quite fidgety. Her lips trembled as she spoke. "WHERE'S MY LUDDY?!" she wailed. Regardless of his answer, Feli pushed past Gilbert and stormed into the house.

Gilbert rolled his eyes. "Make yourself at home," he muttered under his breath.

Gilbert helped Feli take off her coat. She was too jittery and nervous to do so herself.

"Feli?"

Gilbert placed a hand on the hysterical Italian's shoulder. "It's just the stomach flu. He'll be fine."

"W-where is he?"

"Lying in bed."

WHOOSH!

Gilbert's hair blew to the side. Feli sprinted past him. With wide eyes, Gilbert watched Feli hurdle upstairs. Her feet didn't even touch the ground. She took three steps at a time.

BORK! BORK!

Hans took off upstairs after Feli.

She was already long gone.

* * *

 **Feli's POV:**

Feli flitted about in the kitchen. She chopped up vegetables like a mad woman and frantically sprinkled spices into the boiling soup. She couldn't bring herself to calm down. Ludwig was sick the flu. Her precious boyfriend. Sick. Alone and miserable while everyone else carried on with their day. The boy was probably struggling on his death bed right about now. His dreams of eating potatoes for the rest of his life were long gone. He would become nothing more than a muscular sack of skin and bones.

Feli shook her head. She urged herself to focus on the task at hand. She was cooking a light soup for Ludwig. All she could do was pray to God that he would be able to keep it down. Ludwig had been delirious for the past day. Feli was adamant on helping her sick boyfriend. It was her duty not only as his girlfriend but also as his potential future wife to see to it that he got better.

It didn't take much reasoning on Feli's part to sway Gilbert into letting her use the kitchen. The tantalizing promise of a home cooked meal was a rare occurrence in the Beilschmidt household. Their grandfather worked crazy hours running his construction company. There wasn't much time to prepare meals. To have someone cook for him was a gold mine that Gilbert couldn't hope to resist. Feli giggled to herself. No one could ever refuse the temptations of a hot and hearty meal.

"Oi! Smiley! Is the soup ready?" Gilbert cackled. He strolled into the kitchen and propped up on elbow against the wall beside the stove. Feli smiled. Gilbert was much nicer than what he led others to think. Exhibit A: His nickname for her. Sure. Gilbert had a flair for annoying those around him. But, on closer inspection, Feli could tell that he had a distinct talent for personalizing the few relationships that he did share with people.

Feli grabbed a ceramic bowl from a nearby cup board. She ladled a small amount of yellow coloured broth into it. "No. But do you think that you could give it a taste?" she asked.

Feli reminded herself to smile even wider in front of Gilbert. One glance at him and a person would conclude that he looked tired. But Feli knew far better than that. His face was sunk in. His eyes were sallow. And his complexion was paler than usual. No. Gilbert wasn't just tired. He was emotionally exhausted.

Gilbert eagerly took the bowl from her and brought it to his lips. He drank straight from the rim. "Mein Gott," His crimson eyes lit up with awe. "I'm drinking liquid heaven."

Feli grinned a toothy smile. " _Perfetto_."

* * *

 **Feli's POV:**

Feli juggled a tray of soup in one hand and a hot towel in the other. She climbed up the stairs and set down the tray on the carpeted floor. She pushed open Ludwig's bedroom door. Feli smiled. Hans was curled up on the foot of the bed, happily snoring away. But you know who wasn't on the bed? Ludwig.

Ludwig was sitting at his desk. His shoulders were hunched under the fleece blanket that he had wrapped around his shivering body. His brows dripped with sweat and strain as he scribbled away in his notebook. Feli growled. She picked up the soup tray, stalked forward, and with a loud smack, slammed it on top of Ludwig's trigonometry textbook.

"HEY!" Ludwig protested. His mouth clamped shut when he realized that his unexpected visitor was not in fact his troublesome older brother. Feli raised her brows in question. Ludwig faltered under her stern look. The rosiness from before had returned to his cheeks. His fever must have gone up again. Strings of unkept blond hair fell into Ludwig's eyes. He bowed his head to avoid making eye contact with Feli's fierce, motherly glare.

"What are you doing?" Feli asked in a sweet voice. She was mimicking her sorella's furious motherese tone. The tone that sounded sweet but packed an unsuspecting punch.

"O-Oh...it just you," Ludwig blushed. He chuckled nervously and spared a discreet glance at the steaming bowl of soup sitting before him. "So that's where you went off to..." he trailed off. Feli could tell that Ludwig was nervous. He was worried that the soup would stain his textbook. Which in turn, would cost him a hefty replacement fee. Feli's uncharacteristic strictness prevented him from commenting further on the matter.

Ludwig's blush deepened. "You didn't have to do that," he mumbled in a shy, gruff voice.

Feli waved off his gratitude and placed a hand on his shoulder. She made good use of her nails. She let them dig into the German. Not even a blanket could protect his shoulders from the pain of having a manicured nail press into him.

"Care to explain why you're out of bed, Luddy?" Feli quipped.

Ludwig scoffed. "No sickness will prevent me from falling behind in my studies." He reached over his desk to grab a yellow highlighter. "I refuse to let my marks drop."

Ludwig's face set into a stubborn scowl. Feli's eyes began to twitch. Typical Ludwig. He always had a work schedule to follow. He wouldn't be satisfied unless he was two weeks ahead on his assignments. It was one thing to be organized. But it was another to have his entire life revolve around work. Especially when he was sick. He had no business doing any work. His only task for the day should have been rest.

Feli's gaze darkened. "Ve. If you don't get in bed right now, your marks won't be the only things to drop."

"Vhat?!"

"Nothing~!"

…

"Feli!" Ludwig groaned. "Stop...*grunt* pulling on my chair!" Feli ignored him. She placed both hands on the back of Ludwig's swivel chair. Her back was bent over. Feli tugged and pulled with every ounce of strength that she could muster. She wasn't very successful in pulling him away from the desk.

Ludwig was stubborn in his will. He used both hands to grip onto the edge of the desk. His jaw was taut and strained. Despite his weakened state, Ludwig had just enough strength to maintain his current position. In other words, he wasn't going anywhere. Feli wasn't a very strong opponent to begin with.

"*Grunt* Feli, you can pull all you want. I'm not going anywhere." Ludwig's chuckles turned into a hacking, phlegm-filled cough.

"See!" Feli scolded. "You're in no shape to be doing work right now." Feli grit her teeth. Her toes curled into the carpet. "If you weren't so stubborn, ve, I wouldn't have to do this."

Feli growled. She began to tug on the back of Ludwig's chair once more.

Hans sat on Ludwig's bed. His head bobbed back at forth. He was watching an amusing tug of war battle unfold right before his curious doggy eyes.

BORK!

"TCH! EVEN HANS THINKS THAT YOU SHOULD LISTEN TO ME!"

"THE DOG BARKS AT ANYTHING THAT MOVES!" Ludwig snapped back.

…

Feli cracked her knuckles. Hans cocked his head to the side and gave her a funny look. Feli smiled. She couldn't wait to see how Ludwig would react.

Feli crept behind Ludwig. She hovered over him and placed both hands on the back of his chair.

Ludwig took a small tip of tea. He set down the mug and smirked into his textbook. "Back at it again?" he mused.

Feli leaned forward. Ludwig's cheeks reddened considerably. "Turn around Luddy," she purred. The Italian spoke to the German in a low, gravelly whisper.

Ludwig's brows furrowed with wariness. He slowly spun around. Making himself dizzy was the last thing that he wanted to do. Ludwig took one look at Feli and immediately averted his gaze to the ground. Feli had taken off her sweater. Her top half was practically bare. All she wore was a flimsy, laced black bra.

Ludwig's eyes bulged out of their sockets. He moved to spin back around. But Feli had already anticipated this. She pinned down his wrists against the arm rests of the chair. With a triumphant, albeit mischievous giggle, Feli crawled onto Ludwig's lap, effectively straddling him.

"Don't mind me," she hummed. "Carry on with your homework. I hope that I won't be too much of a distraction.~"

 _Mein Gott,_ was Ludwig's last thought before he lost consciousness.

Feli beamed. Ludwig's face flushed with embarrassment. It was an unruly shade of purple. Hold up a minute...purple?! And why did his eyes roll back into his head? Not to mention the blood trickling out of his nose. Feli grabbed Ludwig's shoulders with both hands. She wailed and shook his unresponsive body back and forth. It was like shaking a rag doll. And a very heavy one at that.

"LUDDY?! LUDDY?! SPEAK TO ME!" she cried out but to no avail.

"GILBERT?! I THINK THAT I JUST KILLED LUDDY!"

* * *

 **Gilbert's POV:**

"GILBERT?! I THINK THAT I JUST KILLED LUDDY!" Mid slurp into sipping on Feli's soup, Gilbert paused. He let his spoon fall into the ceramic bowl with a splash. He raised a brow. Feli's terrified shrieks bounced off of the walls. Gilbert let out a pitiful groan. He stood up and hurried over to the source of the chaos. Otherwise known as Ludwig's bedroom.

What Gilbert saw next brought tears to his eyes. He nearly pissed himself out of laughter. Feli stood before him. She folded her arms over her chest. She was wearing a flimsy looking bra on the top half of her body. Feli's eyes were wide with both guilt and fear. Sitting behind her was Ludwig. He lay slumped over in his swivel chair. He looked to be unconscious. Blood trickled out of his nose. Hans, on the other hand, was barking incessantly.

CLICK!

Ah. It all made sense now. Gilbert covered his face and averted his gaze away from Feli's exposed figure. He picked up the Italian's pink wool sweater from the ground. Gilbert cackled as he handed it over to her. "Here," he grinned, looking at her through the spaces in between his fingers. "Wouldn't want him to pass out again."

"VE! DOES THAT MEAN HE'LL BE OK?!"

"Yup!" Gilbert laughed.

"Kesesese. Poor little West. His system could barely handle the heat of his fever. Seeing the hot bod of his frau must have thrown him over the edge."

"O-oh... I see."

"Off you go, sweetheart." Gilbert wrapped a friendly arm around Feli's shoulders. He chuckled to himself as he led her out of Ludwig's room. "It's about time that he got some rest."

Gilbert whistled, beckoning a more than willing Hans to his side. "Besides, I'm sure that Solo would like to show off some of the tricks that he can do."

BORK!

Hans barked in agreement. His tail wagged furiously as he trailed after the cackling German and stammering Italian.

RIP Ludwig.

Everyone but Lovina will miss you.

…

"Feeling any better, West?"

"Ja, I think so. Although, I don't remember much from yesterday."

"Kesesese. That's probably for the best."

"What about you?"

"What about me?"

"How are you feeling?"

"Uh.. I guess that I'm OK..."

"Then how come you have your phone shut off?"

"Verdammt West! What's up with these questions all of sudden?"

Glaring Silence.

"Would you stop staring at me like that?!"

"Answer my question and I'll stop."

"Ugh, so unawesome. I just…I don't feel like speaking to anyone right now."

"But what about… don't you want to speak to _her_?"

"HA! As if I'd want to speak to Maddie! Don't me laugh!

"Gilbert?"

"Ja?"

"Who's Maddie?"

"I didn't say Maddie…"

"Ja. You did."

"KESESESE! Looks like someone hasn't recovered from their flu!"

"Gilbert, don't you dare-"

SLAM!

"-Leave."

Gilbert pressed himself against the backside of the door and inhaled deeply. "What the hell was that?"

* * *

 **Thanks to:** Guest, Layla, Efficient, TheBlueAcid, Persephone104, and mirrorkirby64 for reviewing last chapter.


	29. Phony You Said That

**Phony you said that:**

 **Maddie's POV** : ( **December 20th, 3:00 AM)**

It was getting late. Maddie was just about to call it quits on her Gossip Girl marathon. And then, the unthinkable happened. Her cell phone rang. But it wasn't just any other ring tone. It was Gilbert's. He had recorded his voice as her own personal ring tone for him. What had before been a quiet night was now loud. Gilbert's loud raspy voice echoed and bounced off of her walls. The phone frantically vibrated and buzzed against the wooden surface of her dresser.

" _I AM AWESOME! I KNOW YOU'RE THERE, PANCAKE! PICK UP THE PHONE! DON'T MAKE ME FLATTEN YOU. KESESESE."_

Maddie leapt out of bed and rushed to tear the phone out of its charger. She brought the phone to her ear and faltered. She turned down the volume of the phone so that it was only vibrating. Maddie watched the phone ring and ring. But she couldn't bring herself to answer it. Gilbert's phone had been shut off for the past few days. So him calling her in the middle of the night wasn't just odd. It was unprecedented. Sure. Gilbert had given her a warning before he went off the radar. But that didn't ease Maddie's worries in the slightest bit.

Gilbert was taking some time to think things over. And yet, Maddie couldn't stop thinking about him. So many times did she consider calling him. She would pray that he hadn't turned off his phone and that he would answer it. She longed to hear his voice. And now he was calling her. Maddie bit her lip. It must have been for a good reason. He probably needed help. It would be terrible of her not to answer it. Maddie herself would feel terrible if she ignored him. Hearing and seeing Gilbert suffer for so long had taken a large toll on her. But to let him suffer without offering any help? Now that was probably worse.

Maddie paced back and forth in front of her bed. The phone continued to vibrate in her hand. She grit her teeth. Her mind was set on doing something that was sure to make her unbelievably anxious. She was going to answer the damned phone. Maddie's heart hammered in her chest. She felt nauseous. But none of these feelings were going to stop her. She was going to help her friend in the time that he needed it most. For the time being, she would just have to push her feelings aside. A lot of feelings aside.

Maddie collapsed onto her bed. She looped a finger along the elastic hair band on her wrist. She twisted it around in all sorts of grotesque looking patterns. It was a strange, but effectively calming technique. "H-Hello?" Maddie croaked. She made an effort to keep her voice down. At this point in time, everyone was fast asleep. It didn't help that Natalia's guest bedroom was next door. The last thing that Maddie wanted to do was to get on the Belarusian's bad side.

" _MADDEH?!_ " Gilbert's voice slurred on the other end. His accent became heavier when he was drunk.

Maddie deadpanned. "You're drunk aren't you?"

" _HA! We German's don't get drunk that easily. Pleaz frau, Have sum faith in meh."_

"Did you call me for any particular reason, Gil?"

" _Huhhhhh? I'm surprised. You didn't refer to me as 'holy douche'…?"_

"Gil?"

" _Ja_?"

"Focus." Maddie rolled her eyes. This call had already taken a turn for the worse. Gilbert had resorted to heavy drinking again. Maddie shook her head. She couldn't make blind assumptions like that.

Maddie asked the obvious question. "Have you been drinking?"

" _Ja_."

"Alone or with your family?"

" _Vit mein bruder_."

Maddie let out a relieved sigh. "Alright."

Gilbert made no indication of responding.

"So..." Maddie started. "Care to explain why you decided to call me?"

" _Dunno. I just wanted to talk_."

"About what?"

" _Dunno._ "

Maddie felt like pulling her hair out. She was speaking to a man with the mind of a small child. "Surely there must be a reason," she prompted.

 _"Vhell...I've always liked the sound of your voice...heh..."_

"O-Oh," Maddie blushed. She smirked to herself and decided to humour him. "How come?"

" _Dunno_ '."

Maddie grit her teeth. She didn't have much time to snap a retort. Gilbert took the time to elaborate on the vagueness that was his previous answer.

" _I feel like you're the only one who truly gets meh. It's veird, but I think that I love you."_

Maddie laughed, when it reality all she wanted to do was cry. So badly did she want him to say those words to her. But in her heart, Maddie knew that Gilbert wasn't thinking straight. She couldn't take what he said for granted. No matter how badly she wanted to.

"Stop being so silly, Gil. You're drunk. Sleep it off," she chided. Maddie chuckled to cover up the cracks in her voice.

Gilbert was too drunk to notice anyhow.

" _Nein. I've been thinking. Why is it that with you I feel so comfortable? I can't explain it for the life of meh, but it feels gut."_

Maddie trembled. "What feels good?"

" _Dunno'. Heeeeey, what ever happened to our lessons, huuuuh? Kesese_."

Maddie inhaled deeply. "We were busy with exams, remember?" She purposefully avoided mentioning Cheya. In his drunken state, one mention of her had the potential to set him off completely. Lord have mercy on her soul if that ever happened.

" _Oh, Jaaaa_..." Gilbert remarked like the brilliant drunken philosopher that he was.

"Gilbert...It's late and I'm tired. Is that all?"

 _More like I'm tired of all this heart break._

 _"Hmmm. I suppose so..."_

Maddie pretended to ignore the blatant disappointment in his voice.

"Alright. I'll see you soon, eh?"

 _"Mhmmm."_

"Hey Gil?"

" _Ja_?"

"What of the chances of you remembering this conversation?"

Gilbert chuckled. " _Vhat conversation_?"

Maddie sighed. Well that answered her question. "Good night Gil."

" _Gute Nacht Ich liebe dich, Maddie_."

Maddie opened her mouth. She was quick to shut it when Gilbert hung up the phone. She brought her knees to her chin. Her eyes were closed and she let her hair sweep over her face. Maddie wanted to hide from the world. Yet at the same time she wanted to be noticed and loved. Contradictions and uncertainty ruled her life. And for this, Maddie had to laugh at herself. She had amazing friends and terrible luck.

Maddie chuckled to hide her bitterness over the matter. "It's ironic how the first time you say that to me, you won't even remember it."

* * *

 **Cheya's POV: (3:30 AM)**

It was quiet and that's how I like it. No one could bother me. No one would see that I was crying. I did this quite often now. I cried at the times where I wouldn't be heard. Because in my mind I didn't deserve to be heard. I didn't deserve the sympathy of others. I messed up. The punishment of my mistakes was to suffer alone.

I don't know how long I lay there in bed. I was having trouble falling asleep. I smiled whenever I thought of Arthur and Gilbert. Only to cry when I imagined looks of hurt on both of their faces. I had disappointed them. I didn't show this side of myself to many people. Bella and Antonio both know that I become defensive whenever I get sad. Which would explain a lot of my previous sarcasm. But what they didn't know was that I also liked to mourn in silence. To reminisce over my stupidity to the point of madness. When the sun sets, my mask slips. And with the darkness, I fall victim to the pitiful state that I'm current immersed in right now.

I stared at my walls, blinking but not seeing. I only felt pain. I wiped at my eyes and stared at the ceiling. Shadows from outside danced across the room. The moon shone bright tonight. This didn't exactly help with my sleeping schedule. I tossed and turned. It seemed that my discomfort in life translated into my inability to sleep. The room brightened. My phone buzzed and came to life. Someone was calling me. I groaned and pawed at my sheets. I brought the phone closer to my face. My brows furrowed in confusion when I saw that it was from an unknown number.

"Allo?" I answered in a sleepy voice.

No one responded on the other line. It must have been the wrong number. "Hello silence, my old friend." I chuckled darkly. My humour never escaped me. Even at the odd hours of the night. I waited a minute before I spoke again.

"Well...good night now. I'm going to bed."

Silence.

I hung up the phone and went to bed. For once, tears didn't fall on my pillow. I had finally cried myself dry.

* * *

 **Arthur's POV** : **(3:30 AM)**

What in the bloody hell was he doing?! Arthur sat at the kitchen table. He didn't bother to turn on the lights. Waking everyone up was not his intention. He didn't want them to hear any of what he was about to say or do. Maybe it was the rum coursing through his veins. But Arthur felt compelled to call Cheya. Doing this on his cell phone was out of the question. He feared that she wouldn't pick up if she saw that the call was coming from his number. This thought was quite foolish, however. And Arthur knew it. Cheya was the one waiting for him, after all. Arthur incessantly deliberated his options back and forth. In the end, he deemed it better to call her on the home phone. He would play it safe.

Cheya picked up on the first ring. Arthur wasn't expecting this. His heart dropped when he heard her speak in that sweet, lovely and all too familiar voice of hers. It was mesmerizing to listen. He could almost feel joy again. Just by listening to her voice. God, did he ever miss her. " _Allo?_ " she answered sleepily. Arthur was choked for words. He dug his nails into the palms of his free hand, carelessly drawing blood.

Seconds ticked by. Arthur still hadn't brought himself to say something. He was frozen and scared. He didn't know what to say. Any courage that he had went down with the hope to salvage his relationship over the phone. This was such a stupid idea. He shouldn't have called her.

Cheya chuckled darkly. It sent shivers up Arthur's spine. This wasn't the voice of the fearless, joyful girl that he loved. This was the cry of a girl who was bitter, sad, and alone. Arthur suddenly found it difficult to swallow. He had done this. All of it.

" _Hello silence, my old friend_ ," She chuckled.

Arthur was too flabbergasted to speak. He could feel the beginnings of a sob hitch at the back of his throat. He had stripped this girl from any form of happiness. His love. His precious darling Cheya...he had broken her.

 _Well...good night now. I'm going to bed."_

Arthur wanted to cry out. To beg and plead with her not hang up. But in his soul, Arthur knew that he had done enough. He had created far too much damage to expect anything from her in return.

The phone dial went dead.

Along with it went a small part of the Briton's heart.

* * *

 **Gilbert's POV: (December 22nd, 5:00 PM)**

Gilbert grumbled to himself. He had his hands shoved into his coat pockets to retain warmth. He was walking through a pitifully basic suburban neighborhood. Ja. His Opa still hadn't lifted his ban from the truck. Which meant that he had to bus. So unawesome. He already knows. Anyway. It was the type of neighborhood that portrayed the 1960s American Dream to a tee. Each house was box shaped and identical to its neighbors. Lawns were meticulously shoveled clear of snow. Heck. Some houses even had a privet fence of their own. Since it was the holidays, the obligation to decorate roof trimmings with corny Christmas lights was strong.

It didn't take Gilbert long to find Maddie's house. It was the only house that held up both the American and Canadian flags in the front. Gilbert climbed up the steps to the front porch. He took a deep breath to calm his senses. He had a bad feeling about this night. His intuition for reading the atmosphere had never proved him wrong before. Something terrible was going to happen tonight. He just didn't know what it was.

Gilbert knocked on the door. The person who opened it was not who he was expecting to see. A stranger with messy blond hair and dark circles under his eyes stood before Gilbert. His green eyes widened for a moment. He looked as if he was excited. When he realized that it was Gilbert, his excitement fell. The man's face slipped into a composed and perhaps even monotone expression. "Oh..uh..hullo. You must be one of Maddie's friends." He had a British accent.

Gilbert politely nodded his head. "Ja, I am. It's nice to meet you. The name's Gilbert." The man exhaled sharply.

Gilbert cocked his head to the side. He extended a hand to the disgruntled man.

The man swallowed. His eyes narrowed into tight slits as he shook hands with Gilbert. It was firm, quick, and lame. Whatever. Gilbert had never cared for formalities like this anyhow. The stranger must have forgotten to tell him his name. Either that or he didn't care to do so. He stepped out of the doorway and motioned for Gilbert to come inside. The blond nearly tripped over his feet while doing so. Gilbert's brows furrowed in confusion. Why was this guy acting so nervous?

The blond shut the door. This time he was careful not to trip over the shoes that were sitting on the front mat. "I-I'll get Maddie for you," he stammered.

"No need to. I'm right here."

Maddie stepped out of what Gilbert presumed to be the kitchen. She was snacking on a maple flavored pecan tart. Maddie walked down the carpeted hallway. She passed by several mirrors that were hung up on the pastel green walls. Gilbert was in awe. Maddie looked beautiful in all of them. She was wearing a simple pair of denim jeans and a familiar red flanel. It was her face that really caught Gilbert's eyes. She was still wearing her glasses. But underneath them, mascara was used to make her violet eyes pop out more than usual. Gilbert's own eyes popped out as he silently ogled at the Canadian's subtle tones of beauty.

Gilbert's heart raced in his chest. How come he had never seen her like this before? He felt unnerved by the jittery feeling in the pit of his stomach. Maddie tucked a long, blonde curl behind her ear. Gilbert blushed. It was the simple gestures that got him. She was just so modest and quaint. Everything about her was precious. Gilbert looked down to avoid her equally shy gaze. Maddie joined Gilbert in his blushing as she stepped into the coat room.

The blond cleared his throat awkwardly. "Well...I'll be upstairs if you need me," he mumbled. Gilbert found that he looked rather depressed. His shoulders were slumped. Gilbert assumed that he was waiting for someone. It would explain why he had been so eager to answer the door in the first place. The man turned on his heels to leave.

Maddie grabbed onto the cuff of his sleeve, halting him in place. "Arthur," she scolded. "She's coming. You just have to be patient."

Gilbert's entire world froze. The words spewed from his mouth before he even realized it. "THAT'S ARTHUR?!" he half-shouted/ half-whispered. Maddie aimed a discreet glare at him. It was a glare that urged for him to keep his voice down. Maddie's eyes nervously darted across the room. She kept her chin held high to mask the fear that she secretly felt over the matter.

Arthur flinched. He reluctantly turned around to face Maddie's scolding expression and Gilbert's livid one. All the pieces clicked together in Gilbert's head. Fury swept over his senses. He briefly remembered Bella mentioning that Cheya's boyfriend was British. Sure. This could have just been a pure coincidence. But the anxious look on the Briton's face told Gilbert otherwise.

Gilbert nearly spat on the ground right then and there. He was disgusted. Arthur looked much older than Cheya. This made Gilbert incensed to the point of a boiling calmness. He was furious. So furious that he hadn't hoped or expected to contain any of his anger. He felt like he could explode. Thankfully, Maddie was there to hold him back from doing so.

Maddie placed a hesitant hand on Gilbert's forearm. She hoped to stabilize the thoughts and emotions that were, without a doubt, racing through his head. And her efforts to do so would have worked too...had it not been for the Briton's near smug expression.

Gilbert saw it with his own eyes. Arthur's lips twitched into a sly smirk. The Briton looked pleased with himself. He was patronizing Gilbert. Scolding him for his inability to compose himself properly. Gilbert smirked back. He was never one to be known for his manners. It was his bluntness that he was famous for.

"So...you're the guy who broke Cheya's heart?" Gilbert glowered at the guilty looking Briton. Someone about his facial expression must have triggered something within Arthur as well.

Arthur's massive eyebrows furrowed into a scowl. He reciprocated Gilbert's ruthless jab with a cheap -but effective- quip of his own. The Briton crossed his arms and let out an indignant sigh. "I could say the same thing for you, mate. Aren't you the one who still refuses to talk to her?" he leered.

"You're no better!" Maddie snapped at Arthur, who was quick to shrink under her heated gaze. The anger on her face switched to concern when Gilbert let out a low, bitter sounding chuckle.

"Touche." Gilbert made sure to aim straight for the man's pride. "But at least I don't use my position to take advantage of younger girls."

Arthur's face reddened at this insinuation. Whether it was from anger or embarrassment, Gilbert didn't know. Nor did he care. He simply took pride in the fact that he had roused a reaction out of the Briton. Gilbert raised a pale brow in challenge. The stare down didn't last very long. Arthur muttered snide curses under his breath. He pushed past Maddie and Gilbert to grab his coat. He was quick to slip on his shoes after that.

Gilbert winced. Maddie's nails were digging into his arm.

"Where do you think you're going?!" Maddie hissed. Her voice wavered and eventually it trailed off into a cracked whisper. Any sort of fighting, no matter how futile it was, would cause her anxiety to skyrocket.

Arthur turned back to look at Maddie one last time. He made a point to purposefully ignore Gilbert. "It's quite obvious to me that I'm not wanted here," he scoffed.

"B-But!" Maddie protested.

Arthur left without another word.

SLAM!

Gilbert cocked his head to the side. "Why did he come if he was just going to leave? WAIT! Why the fuck was he even here in the first place?!"

"HE'S MY COUSIN, YOU DOUCHE!"

 _Well shit,_ Gilbert deadpanned.

This night just got better and better.

…

Gilbert bit back his whimpers of pain. Maddie dragged him in the direction of the basement. Bella, Antonio, and Lovina had arrived at the house half an hour prior. Feli was sick at home with the flu. Otherwise Ludwig would have joined him as well.

"OW! _Mein Gott_ Maddie! Could you loosen up a bit?!"

Maddie quickened her pace. Her blonde ringlets angrily bounced behind her. Gilbert had half the mind to reach out and touch her curls. He opted out of doing so when he felt a glaring presence lurk from above. Maddie wrenched open the door to the basement. The piercing screams of his friends echoed from down below. Predictably, Lovina's was the most recognizable. Wait..never mind. There was also a subtle hint of Antonio's pained cries.

Maddie let go of Gilbert's wrist. She placed the hand on her hip instead. "Can I expect that you'll behave yourself?"

Gilbert nodded his head. "Ja," he mumbled. "Actually, can you show me the bathroom? I didn't get to go before I left."

Maddie pointed down the hallway. "Straight and to your right."

Gilbert bit his lip. "Hey Maddie?" Maddie paused at the door. "I saw that I called you the other night...er..." Gilbert brought a hand to the back of his neck. It was another one of his nervous habits.

"I hope that I didn't say anything too offensive," Gilbert trailed off. Heat rose to his bashful looking face.

Maddie blushed. She shakily pushed up her glasses on the bridge of her nose. "Erm...n-no. You just talked about beer a lot." Maddie faltered. She bit on her bottom lip to conceal her wince.

"So basically nothing all that important," she whispered.

"Oh...Alright." Gilbert shed her with a dumb, clueless smile. He felt like there was something that she wasn't telling him. In the end, Gilbert decided to leave her be. Maddie was even more high strung than usual. He didn't want to push her discomfort. "I''ll be right back, kay?" he mumbled softly. He feigned a faint hint of a grin.

A weak smile tugged on the corner's of Maddie's hesitant face. "Kay." She spared Gilbert one last worried glance before she descended down into the basement. Gilbert's heart rate slowed. Maddie was just that cute. Gilbert shook his head. There were other, more annoying, things to tend to. Gilbert shut the basement door. He walked forward a few paces.

Gilbert looked up to meet a pair of scornful cerulean eyes. The eyes that had previously been burning two holes into the back of his head. Alfred casually dangled his arms over the upstairs railing. He glared down at Gilbert. "Long time no see, douche bag," the American leered.

Gilbert rolled his eyes. "The pleasure's all mine, crapwad," he glared back. "Now what do you want?"

Alfred shrugged. "Unfortunately, Maddie would never allow me to do such a thing."

"Is that so?" Gilbert mused. "Care to enlighten me?"

"Naaah. You'll find out eventually."

"Hold me, I'm terrified," Gilbert deadpanned. He gleefully mocked the American with a cocky smirk.

Alfred's glasses glinted under the light of the chandelier. Gilbert gloried. He was on a roll. He'd pissed off three people in a matter of five minutes. Gilbert winced. He could have gone without pissing off Maddie. Ja. She deserved a lot better than that.

"Try me! You'll be spiting out your teeth before you figure out what hit ya!" Alfred threatened, making a popping sound with his mouth. He smiled devilishly and mimed swinging an imaginary baseball bat in the air.

Gilbert wasn't fazed by this in the slightest. What did faze him was the sharp female voice that cut across the hallway.

"ALFRED?!"

Gilbert froze. He recognized that voice. No. It couldn't be. Not her...

Alfred groaned. He broke away from his glaring of Gilbert and swallowed nervously. "Yes, babe?" the American squeaked. He wasn't very successful in masking the fear from his voice.

"DIDN'T MADDIE SPECIFICALLY SAY NOT TO TALK TO HER FRIENDS?"

Alfred's attempts to intimidate Gilbert were futile. Someone else had already done the job for him. Gilbert now knew who Alfred was speaking to. It was that crazy dart bitch back from the Gaul dorm; the Belarusian terror, Natalia Braginski.

"But Nat!" Alfred pouted.

The American lost any sense of dignity. He dropped the tough guy act right before Gilbert's disbelieving crimson eyes. "I only wanted to scare him!"

Gilbert had an 'ah' moment. Maddie did mention that the two were dating now. So unawesome. What kind of man cowered in the face of his girlfriend?

Gilbert's hypocrisy came back to bite him in the ass.

 _"That logic didn't stop you from cowering in front of Maddie_ ," an unnecessarily annoying voice in Gilbert's head teased.

 _Ja. But she's not my girlfriend,_ " Gilbert retorted back.

Gilbert was fuming on the inside. He couldn't believe that he was letting himself get flustered over this.

Natalia's piercing voice snapped Gilbert out of his daze.

"DON'T MAKE ME COME OUT THERE!"

"B-BUT!"

"DON'T TEST ME, JONES! YOU GET YOUR SORRY ASS OVER HERE!"

The childish light in Alfred's eyes died out. "Yes Ma'am," he grudgingly mumbled. "Oh, and Gilbert?"

Gilbert scoffed. He was just surprised that Alfred had referred to him by his actual name.

"Ja?"

"Don't you dare break her heart."

"Whose heart?"

"HAHAHA! You'll find out soon enough," Alfred remarked in an insufferably smug voice.

The eerie expression on the American's face was quite unsettling to say the least.

Gilbert facepalmed. What in Gott's name was that cryptic jackass alluding to now?

* * *

 **Cheya's POV: (6:00 PM)**

I walked up the steps to Maddie's front porch. My knees trembled and my breath hitched. To ease my nerves, I spared one last glance at the peaceful looking neighborhood. I needed to picture something pleasant in my mind. Otherwise I'd go insane. Tonight wasn't going to be easy for me. Heck. Just this day alone had proven to be difficult.

Bella had offered me a lift with her older brother Tim. Maddie's house was a good forty minutes away by bus. I declined the Belgian's offer. I needed some time to think on my own before I delved straight into the craziness. I had ignored my problems for so long now. They grew heavier with each breath that I took. I felt like I was slowly being strangled from the inside. I gasped for air and was welcomed with the unwelcoming rush of the harsh winter air. I liked to think that this represented my cruel reality.

I raised my fist to knock on the door. I closed my eyes. Here we go. I knocked on the door. Loud footsteps clambered towards me. Oh God. What if it was Arthur? What would I even say? Mon Dieu. I really didn't think this through. The door swung open. Much to my relief, it wasn't Arthur who answered the door. I was instead faced with the wide-eyed and always excited Alfred Jones.

"CHEYA!" he beamed.

I shyly waved at him. "H-hey-! ALFRED!" I cried out. Alfred grabbed my wrist and tugged me inside. The door slammed shut. I smoothed back the stray strands of hair that had fallen into my face. It was the odd day that I wore my hair down. Alfred grabbed my shoulders with both hands. He didn't realize his own strength. Not even when I grimaced in pain. Alfred bent down to get a good look at my face. I scoffed. Sorry to be so short.

Alfred cracked a massive smile. "DID YOU SEE YOUR MARK?! BRAGINSKI POSTED THEM LAST NIGHT!" he bellowed into my face.

"Y-yeah," I mumbled. I tried my best not to flinch from my friend's deafening tone of voice. "I got an A+, you?" I feigned a smile. Alfred's sympathetic expression told me that I wasn't fooling him any time soon.

Alfred took my coat and hung it up in the front closet. After that, he draped a friendly arm over my shoulder. "Come on in! I'll show you where the rest of the gang is!" Alfred winked.

"Oh! I got an A by the way! No thanks to your tutoring sessions!" I lamely mumbled my congratulations. The only thing lamer was the pathetic smile on my face.

"Alfred?" I asked.

"Hmmm~?"

I kept my eyes plastered on the ground as he led me out of the coat room. "Is..um...is Arthur here?"

"He left the house an hour ago."

I looked up. Natalia was hovering over the upstairs railing. She shed me with a kind smile. "I'm sure that he'll be back soon. You don't have to look so worried." I returned her kind reassurance with a polite nod of the head. I didn't know Natalia that well. On occasion she would join the study sessions that I hosted with Alfred. She was much nicer than expected. In fact, she played a big role in easing my nerves during finals week.

Alfred pulled open the basement door. He grinned and ruffled my hair with a massive hand. "Catch ya later, kiddo!"

…

I took my time as I descended down into the basement.

"IT'S PROBABLY THE PIZZA GUY" I heard Lovina screech. Weird clanging noises followed.

"Lovina, there's no need to shout," Maddie mumbled. As usual, she was ignored.

Maddie met me at the foot of the staircase. "Oh~!" she beamed. "It's Cheya!"

I grinned and threw myself into the Canadian's outstretched arms. "Hey," I mumbled. Maddie smoothed a hand over my hair. We let a comfortable amount of time pass before we broke away from hug. Maddie smiled from ear to ear. She grabbed my hand. "Come along," she hummed. She led me around the corner and into the main room of the basement.

My eyes widened. Rows of TV's were mounted against a stone wall. Equally expensive leather couches shaped around them in a U. It was a mini-theater of sorts. Speakers sat in every corner of the room. To my left was a hockey table. At the moment it was being used for refreshments. Chips and candies of all sorts were lined up in rows of glass bowls. Beside the food was several variants of pop and alcoholic beverages. Near the middle of the room, a fierce ping pong match between Antonio and Lovina was under way. Bella, who I assumed to be the referee, stood at the edge of the ping pong table. Her eyes were pursed in concentration. She was keeping an eye out for foul play. Good idea. Foul play was inevitable when it came to Lovina.

I didn't bother to make sense of Antonio and Lovina's game talk. All I heard was yelling. They waved their paddle weapons in the air. Lovina and Antonio were letting their competitive natures get the best of them. They slipped into their native tongues and spewed out curses that only their families could reprimand them for. I spoke too soon. A paddle went soaring through the air. It flew straight into Antonio's forehead with a painful sounding THUNK! Antonio staggered back a few steps.

"OW!" he cried out.

Lovina cupped a hand to her mouth. Her face grew redder and redder. It became increasingly difficult to suppress her laughter. "Ooops...my bad..."

"Must have swung my arm a bit too hard..."

Antonio brought a hand to his bruising forehead. He turned to aim an incredulous look at Bella. "Aren't you going to call a foul?!"

Bella sniffed and turned her head to the side. But not before aiming a sly wink at Lovina, who was more than eager to reciprocate this gesture.

"What foul?" Bella challenged. "I didn't see anything!" Bella crossed her arms into a stubborn ' _don't you dare question my authority_ ' stance.

"Oh please!" Antonio scoffed. "I totally saw her slip you that Target gift card!"

The Spaniard aimed a glare at his Italian girlfriend. She playfully stuck out her tongue at him in response.

Bella blushed under Antonio's glower. Her blush switched to joy when she noticed me standing there. She ran as fast as she could, all the while trying not to slip on her socks. Bella spread out her arms. She squealed and tackled me with a fierce bear hug. I broke hands with Maddie. Maddie sighed and trudged over to sit by the couch.

I looked over Bella's shoulders and froze. Maddie had gone to sit by Gilbert. Gilbert turned his head to the side. He caught my gaze at the exact same moment. His crimson eyes bore into mine. And believe me when I tell you that I paled right to the bone. He looked at me with such a calm expression that I almost crumpled to the ground. I was nothing to him. I had hurt him far too much. He would never look at me with that same cocky gleam in his eyes.

Gilbert grit his teeth, urging himself not to make a scene.

Little did I know that I was going to be the one to make a scene.

And a giant one at that.

* * *

 **Thanks to:** Efficient, exca314 and Red-Hot Habanero for reviewing last chapter.


	30. Pub and Gone

**Pub and Gone:**

 **Cheya's POV: (December 22nd, 6:00 PM)**

I pulled away from Bella and averted my gaze to the ground. Lovina called out to me. I didn't hear what she had to say. "Hey! Wine Bitch finally made it!" The Italian mused. I looked at Lovina and smiled anyways. Maddie bent over to whisper something in Gilbert's ear. I knew that they were talking about me. Bella placed a comforting hand over my shoulder. I just about collapsed into it. I couldn't breathe let alone speak. I didn't think that facing Gilbert would be this hard.

"How about I get you something to eat?" Bella offered, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. No. I didn't need to be babied. I could fix this on my own. I shook my head and swallowed. I didn't have to speak to tell Bella what I wanted to do. One look told her all that she needed to know. I was heading into dangerous territory. I needed to do this on my own.

"Good luck, sweetheart," Bella whispered. The Belgian turned around and placed both hands on her hips. She resumed feigning as a referee. "Alright! Let's finish this game, shall we? I want a crack at that jackpot too!" Ah. So that's what was going on. My friends were gambling on the chips, pop, and alcohol stash.

I smiled a bit at that. Leave it to my friends to turn everything into a competition. Oddly enough, I found myself eyeing a Smirnoff ice. I've never experienced the buzz of alcohol before. But at this point I didn't care. I wanted to get drunk. Maybe booze would help make this night go by smoother…

The battle cries, shouts, and bangs on Lovina's and Antonio's side of the room took off again. I walked over to the sitting area. Maddie's eyes flickered with alarm. Gilbert still had his head turned to the side. Maddie squeaked and stood up. "I'll..um..I'll go grab some more snacks from upstairs!" she stammered. Maddie just about fled from the room.

I slowly approached the couch. I sat on the far end of it. I didn't want to disturb Gilbert. He turned his head to look at me. But he wasn't really looking at me. He was looking right through me. There was no hope in his eyes. The only thing that I saw was pain. I choked for words.

"Gilbert," I croaked. "How have you been?" I didn't have time to reprimand myself for asking such a stupid question. Actually, yes I did. WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! You already know that his heart's broken. You already what he's been going through. Why bring it up? Why remind him? My mind screamed at me. Relentlessly. I sunk even lower than before.

Gilbert smirked. It wasn't a warm smirk. It was a cruel, bitter smile that took amusement in my pitiful question. "I could be better," he scoffed. He tipped back a beer bottle and brought it to his mouth. Gilbert continued to chug his beer. It left me with little chance for conversation. Gilbert took his time. When he finished, I took to making small talk again. "How are things back at home?" I asked.

SLAM!

Gilbert placed his empty beer bottle on the glass table top. I flinched. "Things are great! Why do you ask?" His tone of voice was disheartening. I could tell that I was getting on his nerves. Gilbert hated small talk. At this point, I didn't know what to say. And what could I say? Gilbert surely wouldn't accept my apology. It was too soon to mend any of the bridges that I had burned. Not saying anything wasn't an option either. It would kill any chance of reconciliation that I had with Gilbert. I was stuck. Whatever I did or say would irritate him regardless.

"I just wanted to see how you were doing…" I trailed off solemnly. I nervously twirled my hair around my index finger.

Gilbert snorted. "I have nothing to say to you. I already told you how I felt."

The brutal honesty of Gilbert's words was the righteous punishment that I deserved. It hurt. I took this as my cue to leave. Tears welled in my eyes. I held them back. I walked to stand at the side of the ping pong table. I aimlessly watched Lovina slam around the paddle. I stood next to Bella. It was obvious that she wanted to say something. I suppose that she waiting until we could speak in private.

"Sorry everyone!" Maddie rushed back downstairs. She juggled three bags of Doritos, a glass bowl, and a bundle of napkins in her arms. "Do you guys want to pick a movie now?" she asked.

Gilbert stood up. He didn't spare me a glance. He skirted around to stand at the other end of the ping pong table. Antonio gave him a dirty look. Gilbert shrugged it off. I was beginning to suspect that Gilbert had already his fair share of beers. It would explain why he was acting so calmly. He was displaying a serene, unsettling type of anger. He was livid, but didn't quite show it. "Why don't we have a ping pong tournament instead?" he suggested.

Maddie set down the bag of chips on the air hockey table. Her lips curled into a quirky, if not slightly confused grin. No one was expecting Gilbert to be this social. Lovina gave me pitiful looks in between swinging her paddle. It didn't help that Bella took to rubbing my arm. Mon Dieu. This was so awkward it hurt.

"Sounds good to me, eh?" Maddie's relief was evident. She was appreciative of Gilbert's efforts to dissolve the tension. Although. This suggestion didn't help with the tension that Gilbert held within himself. He wasn't fooling me any time soon. Gilbert was up to something. I just didn't know what it was.

"Take that bastard!" Lovina cried out with triumph. She dealt Antonio with a finishing swing, sending both the paddle and the ball flying over the net. Antonio must have learned from his previous mistake. He ducked and woefully accepted his defeat. "I give up. You win." Antonio let out a resigned sigh.

The room settled down again. The awkwardness skyrocketed. Everyone stared at each other in silence. Being the anomaly and unwanted person that I was, I relented and opted to break the silence. "Well...I don't know about you guys. But I'm getting something to drink."

I padded over to the air hockey table. I pointed to the boxes of different fruit flavored coolers. Half of which I wasn't even familiar with. "Any recommendations?" Stunned silence was the only reaction that I received. Of course. I wasn't expecting anything different. Antonio and Bella gave me worried looks.

Gilbert's thoughts on the matter was much harder to figure out. He appeared to be conflicted. He was clearly agitated. I looked closer. I found just the subtlest hint of shock on his face. I suppose that his response was warranted. This was the first time that I had decided to drink something other than pop at a social gathering. I picked up a bottle of Smirnoff ice. I pretended to ignore the perplexed looks that I received. The bottle was cold. It nearly slipped out of my hands. I couldn't stop myself from talking.

"I heard that this one was good. Should I try it?" I chuckled weakly.

Lovina whispered into Antonio's ear. "I don't get it. Why is everyone making such a big deal out of this?"

"She never drinks, Lovi. Never," he whispered back.

Bella snapped out of her daze. She walked over to me and gently pried the Smirnoff bottle out of my hand. "It's best to take things slow," she chided. "Let's start you off with half a glass." Bella grabbed a plastic red solo cup. She opened the bottle with her teeth and poured a small portion of the alcohol into it. I grabbed the cup and tipped it back. I drank the smooth, white, and surprisingly white liquid. I didn't stop drinking until my cup was empty.

"See! That wasn't so bad," I giggled. I already felt a bit light headed. Was this what being a light weight meant?

"OI! Wine bitch! Are you alright?" Lovina gripped my shoulders. I struggled to make eye contact with her concerned hazel eyes.

"I'm wonderful~!" I smirked. "Hey!" I giggled. Heh. This was fun. Everything became so much funnier when you were tipsy. "Where's Feli?"

"She's sick," Lovina responded. "No thanks to that bastard's stupid brother." Lovina jabbed an accusing finger at Gilbert. He showed little to no reaction. I hummed in response. I eyed the half-empty Smirnoff bottle and made a grab for it.

Bella jutted out her arm. "Oh, no we don't," she lectured. Bella handed me a water bottle and I pouted. "Drink some of this before you have anymore."

Bella took my scowl as her answer. Maddie cleared her throat. "Erm..so who would like to play first?" Bella offered to play against Lovina. I stood and silently fumed to myself. All the while I grudgingly sipped on my water bottle. Gilbert occasionally spared somewhat concerned looks in my direction. Whenever I met his gaze, however, he was quick to look away. We were in a constantly reversing cat and mouse chase. I chased Gilbert. He ran. Gilbert chased me. I ran. He ran. I ran. He drank. I drank. He grimaced. I grimaced. We were mimicking each others pain. But neither of us sought to stop it.

* * *

 **Gilbert's POV:**

Bella and Lovina carried on with their lame ping pong match. Gilbert couldn't be bothered to watch. He leaned against the side of the air hockey table and chugged another beer. What was this? His fifth? It didn't really matter. Maddie leaned next to him on the table. She was also sipping on a Molsen. Gilbert didn't care much for the Canadian beer. But he needed something to dull his senses. Seeing Cheya was painful enough. He had hurt her so much that she had resorted to drinking. The thought of this made his heart ache. He viewed her only as a friend now. He had finally accepted the fact that she was never his to begin with.

And that's why he had to be cold with her. He didn't want to let her in again. He may have forgiven her. But he couldn't let his defenses slip. If he had to be an asshole to her, then so be it. It's not like Gilbert went out of his way to act like this. Every sheepish look that she sent his way made his blood boil with anger. She couldn't possibly believe that things would go back to normal so easily. Gilbert couldn't help it. When she spoke to him, he snapped. The alcohol made it increasingly difficult to restrain himself. Besides. It wasn't like Gilbert to hold back. He was brutally honest with everyone. Cheya was no exception.

Gilbert's cheeks held a pinkish hue. Oddly enough, it wasn't because of the alcohol coursing through his veins. It was because of the dainty Canadian girl standing next to him. Maddie was clearly tipsy. Her filter slipped. She was even more sarcastic than usual. Maddie was poking fun at everything. Which was exactly what Gilbert needed right now. He needed some humour in his life. Because only God knows how tired he was of conforming to the reckless goofball image. He had learned from his mistakes. He refused to keep up with his cocky tirade. Gilbert would be his real self. And if his real self meant being a miserable jerk; fuck it.

"82," Maddie muttered.

"Huh?" Gilbert asked, raising a brow.

"Lovina's cursed 82 times just in this match alone," Maddie mused.

"Oh?" Gilbert remarked. He felt lame. He didn't have much else to say.

Maddie sighed. She swayed to the left. Her shoulder rubbed against his right bicep. "How are you doing?" she asked.

Gilbert's eyes widened at the sudden and unexpected contact. There it went again. His heart just about burst out of his chest. For whatever reason, Maddie was making him feel squeamish. Gilbert swallowed. "I suppose that I'm alright," he curtly responded, stiff as a board. Maddie relented. She wouldn't be getting much more out of him. Her attention went back to the ping pong match at hand.

Gilbert felt guilty. He didn't like lying to her. In truth, he was still very much angry. It was a good thing that Antonio had taken Cheya into a far corner of the room. Otherwise Gilbert was sure to snap at her some more. He had plenty of rage to spare. Perhaps it really was because of the alcohol. No matter. Gilbert was itching for a confrontation. He couldn't handle the angst; he needed to blow it off. He didn't care how.

"How many fingers am I holding up?" Antonio flitted around Cheya, who was slumped over on the couch. Her eyes were lazy and slow to glance around the room. She looked everywhere but at the frantic Spaniard standing before her.

"I'm fine Toni," Cheya chided. "Oh, and three." Antonio sighed with relief. Gilbert grinned. Bella and Lovina had just wrapped up their ping pong match. Which meant that he was left to find a partner to play with. And he knew exactly who that person was going to be.

"Who's next?" Maddie asked.

"I AM!" Gilbert bellowed. He grinned and aimed a cruel glare in the oblivious French's direction. Cheya turned to meet his gaze. Amber eyes met with crimson. The entire room fell into another bout of eerie silence. Gilbert reveled in the tension. It egged him on. It roused and excited him into a uncontrollable frenzy.

Lovina spared Gilbert a wary look. "Who's your partner?" Bella reciprocated Lovina's wariness. Everyone knew Gilbert well enough. The look on his face was not of amusement. It was a look of pure and unadulterated malevolence. Maddie opened her mouth to say something. Gilbert unintentionally cut her off. He clanged a metal bottle opener against his own beer bottle. Maddie worriedly muttered something to herself. Gilbert winced. He was far too deep at this point. Polite formalities meant nothing to him now.

All the attention was on him. Gilbert gleefully ushered out his challenge to the unsuspecting French. "Cheya. You. Me. Ping Pong Match. Now," he drilled out with an all-knowing smirk. Gilbert was looking for a fight. And a fight was exactly what he was going to get.

Cheya's eyes widened with surprise. Surprise turned into resignation. She stood up from the couch and calmly strode over to the ping pong table.

Antonio reached out to stop her. Cheya shrugged him off with a kind smile and a quick shooing of the hand.

"Alright then," she sighed. "Have it your way."

* * *

 **Cheya's POV: (8:00 PM)**

I rolled up my sleeves and grabbed a ping pong paddle. Gilbert wanted a fight? Fine. He was going to get one. I was so over dealing with his pissy mood. The buzz from the alcohol had worn off. In its place lay every excruciating ounce of my pent up frustration. I grit my teeth. Gilbert could go right ahead and take out his anger on me. I wasn't going to stop him.

Bella, Antonio, and Lovina stood by my side of the table. Maddie stood behind Gilbert. She whispered something into his ear. The Canadian spoke low enough so that only Gilbert could hear her. ("Gilbert, please. Stop this. You're only making things worse.")

Gilbert's brows furrowed into a frown. "I'll do what I damn well please, Maddie," he muttered. "You're not my mother."

The two proceeded to bicker for another minute. I turned around to give Bella one last sheepish smile. I could tell that she way trying very hard to keep her emotions in check. The sorrowful look that she gave me was disheartening. You would think that I had just been sent off to war. In a way, this match was very similar to a battle field. But rather than our lives, my friendship with Gilbert was on the line. Whatever I did next was crucial. I could let him berate me with his anger. Or I could stand to the side and watch him walk out of my life. Both options sucked. But the latter was something that I was determined to prevent. Gilbert was fighting against me. Whereas, I was fighting for him. Whether he liked it or not, I wasn't going to leave unless he told me otherwise.

Lovina couldn't stop fidgeting. Antonio grabbed her hand to prevent her from doing so. Lovina may appear to be rough on the outside, but she hated fighting just as much as anybody else. I locked eyes with Bella. She silently pleaded with me. "You don't have to do this," she whispered.

I shook my head. No. I had to do this. I knew that Gilbert was unstable. He could explode any minute now. But someone needed to be the scapegoat for his anger. He needed something or someone to unleash his frustration onto. And what better vessel than the person who had caused his frustration in the first place? Seeing Gilbert like this took me back to some rough patches in high school. Several bouts of depression plagued his life. The best coping method for him was hitting a punching bag. And tonight I was going to be that punching bag.

Gilbert spoke in a hushed whisper. He hissed at Maddie one last time. Maddie bit her lip, crossed her arms, and took a step back from the table. There was no reasoning with Gilbert at this point. Heck. There was no reasoning with me either. Stubbornness had always ruled our lives. Tonight was not an exception to that rule.

Gilbert fingered the ping pong ball in between his thumb and index finger. "You ready?" he asked in a clipped tone. I nodded. I didn't get a chance to grab my paddle. Gilbert whipped the ball at me. It didn't even touch the table. It soared through the air. I had no choice but to duck. The ball had been aimed straight for my forehead. Lovina cursed and chased after the ball. Gilbert let out a bitter chuckle. "Good reflexes," he commended. "The alcohol must have worn off."

I clenched my jaw to hold my tongue. What right did I have to say anything? All I could do was stare helplessly into his unwavering crimson eyes. I didn't show him any mercy or sympathy. Gilbert had never wanted any of that. What he wanted was for me to look him straight in the eye. Doing so was probably the hardest thing that I've ever had to do. This person used to adore me. The only thing that his eyes reflected now was betrayal. He resented me. The only thing that I deserved to feel was devastation. And devastation was exactly what I felt.

The game started up again. Gilbert didn't let up in the slightest. He whipped the ball as hard as he could. I barely managed to keep up. My friends watched in horror. Gilbert and I had slipped into dual states of aggravation. I whipped. He whipped. I laughed. He laughed. He grinned. I grimaced. We danced back and forth. Silently, at first. Our match picked up a maniacal sort of rhythm. Only then did Gilbert decide to speak up.

"How's your darling boyfriend doing?" he growled, smashing the ball across the table with a grunt. "Last time I saw him he was eager to escape confrontation."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I grunted, returning the ball with a arched swing. Did Gilbert meet Arthur? When? How? What the hell was going on?! My mind whirred. I stirred myself into a frenzy. Questions wracked my mind and muddled my senses. I couldn't think. I couldn't breath. I aimlessly flailed my arm around. I was on auto pilot. The dull thud of the ping pong ball was the only thing that I was aware of.

"That's the last thing that she needs to hear right now!" Maddie snapped at Gilbert.

"Oi!" Lovina screamed.

"Cut it out right now!" Antonio finished for her.

"Gilbert," Bella warned. "What are you getting at here?"

Gilbert didn't heed them any attention. "You know exactly what I mean. He ran away the moment that he saw me. You guys are perfect together. You both run away from your problems."

There was no restraint to exercise. I couldn't stop myself from retorting back. "Me? Running away from my problems?! Oh, that's rich. I wasn't the one who shut off their phone. You ignored me every time that I tried to apologize. What did you expect me to do? Huh? What do I have to do to please the 'Great Gilbert'?.

At this point I had completely lost my temper.

"I'VE TRIED EVERYTHING AND YET YOU STILL WON'T GIVE ME A CHANCE!" I choked. Tears streamed down my face. My vision blurred. For whatever reason I still managed to hold on. I continued to slam the paddle with an aggressive amount of frustration.

Gilbert was too livid to shout. "I expected you to have better judgement. For God's sake, Cheya. Can't you see that that bastard's using his age to take advantage of you?"

Maddie's eyes flashed dangerously at the mention of her cousin. Bella, Antonio, and Lovina all winced when my voice raised several octaves. I was beyond high strung.

"HOW IS THAT ANY OF YOUR BUSINESS!" I roared. "AND WHO SAYS THAT HE'S TAKING ADVANTAGE OF ME? I LOVE HIM, GILBERT! ALL I WANT IS YOUR SUPPORT! BUT YOU CAN NEVER GIVE THAT TO ME, CAN YOU?!" I whipped the ball harder than ever before. I scored. This only seemed to rouse Gilbert further.

"You're right I won't give you that. And I never will. Maybe if you stopped acting like such a damned slut-"

And then all hell broke loose.

I don't know when it happened but my paddle went flying. I threw it straight at Gilbert's chest. I angrily rubbed at my eyes. Gilbert was too stunned to feel anything. He didn't react when the paddle hit his chest. "Of all the things that you could call me, Gilbert, I would have never expected you to call me that. It's clear to me that there's nothing more that I can do. But you know what? I forgive you. Because unlike you I don't hold grudges. Now, if you'll please excuse me.." My breath hitched. I swallowed.

"It's about time that I went home. It's clear to me that I'm not wanted here."

Gilbert bowed his head in shame. Angry tears streaked down his face. I couldn't stand to look at him. He crossed the line the moment that he decided to attack Arthur. I could handle his insults. But what I couldn't handle was the cruel, self-righteous audacity of his accusations. Gilbert's head snapped up. The sting of Maddie's snap had just registered.

"Who are you to make accusations about my cousin like that?!" Maddie just about raged.

"I...I'm sorry," Gilbert muttered, blinking away his anger. Realization dawned on his face. "I-I wasn't thinking properly."

Gilbert's eyes locked with mine. "Cheya," his voice cracked. "Hase, please. I'm so sorry." Gilbert trailed off when I aimed a fierce glare in his direction.

"Save it." I scoffed. "I'm not your Hase anymore."

I stormed past Gilbert and made a break for the stairs. Maddie was quick on my heels. I winced. The echoes of Bella's, Antonio's, and Lovina's shouts bounced off of the walls. I winced again. They didn't have to yell at Gilbert like that. I could tell by the look on his face that he had already regretted his harsh words. I left only in the hopes that Gilbert would be able to find some peace. Sometimes, it's just better to give up. I was letting Gilbert drown in his own anger. Eventually, he would resurface. And when that time came, I would be there talk. That is, if he wanted to talk.

I'll admit it. I lost my temper back there. But there was nothing that I could have done about it. Angry tears poured down my face. I realized just how cruel I had been to Gilbert. Here I was, yelling at him for not giving me a chance to apologize. Yet the minute that he pisses me off, I do the very same thing. I should have stayed in the basement. I should have listened to what he had to say. Now that I was gone, Gilbert was probably killing himself for what he did.

I didn't realize that I was lost until Maddie found me wandering around aimlessly in her living room. She grabbed my hand and led me into the kitchen. I pulled up a chair and sat down. Fatigue settled. This entire night had been exhausting. What's more; It was far from over.

"Maddie?"

"Y-yeah?"

"Don't be too hard on him. He didn't mean any of it."

Tears welled in Maddie's eyes. "I know. He's always been a reckless idiot. It's beyond me why I still love him," she remarked with a bitter smirk.

I cracked a weak smile. "That makes two of us."

* * *

 **Cheya's POV:** **(11:00 PM)**

Things are a lot better now. Bella and I were sitting at the kitchen table. Bella wasn't as strict on the alcohol as she was before. She let me drink an entire Smirnoff ice to myself. I wasn't tipsy. But I did feel a bit woozy at times. Anyways, Gilbert, Maddie, Lovina, and Antonio were downstairs watching a horror movie. It was one of Lovina's favourites. Maddie would pop into the kitchen every now and then. Just to check up on things and to hand me Gilbert's latest note. She would return to the basement with a note of my own. What notes might you ask?

You see, Gilbert and I had made up. Well, sort of. The past few hours we had been passing notes back and forth. Just like a couple of angsty middle schoolers. Gilbert apologized and I accepted. But he was still apprehensive to speak to me in person. He felt horrible about earlier. We both thought it best to keep our distance from each other. At least for the night. Besides. It would be way too awkward if I went back into the basement now.

I smiled. I was reading over Gilbert's most recent note: _Hey, how are things up there? I know that I've said this like a million times, but I'm really sorry. Oh. Lovina just told me to tell you to slow to it down with the alcohol. Apparently she can hear your stupid French giggles. Whatever the hell that means. One last thing; what time are you leaving tonight?"_

I ripped out a scrap piece of paper from a nearby notebook. I began to write. Bella rolled her eyes and snorted. She was very vocal in voicing her opinion; she thought that we were being immature. Which we were. I'll admit it. But it was best not to stir up anymore trouble. My phone buzzed with a text from Alfred. Both he and Natalia had also gone out of their way to check up on me. Alfred had even offered to beat up Gilbert. Sound must have traveled fast in this house. I cringed. The thought of them listening to me screech my head off like a lunatic made me want to curl up in a ball. Everything about this night was embarrassing.

 _Things are good. Bella's ride should be here soon. I told Papa to pick me up for twelve. I'm...waiting for Arthur to get back. Maddie texted him but she hasn't gotten a response. I need to talk things through with him. I hope that you can understand. Also, please stop apologizing. We were both in the wrong. I'm just glad that we've been able to move past it._

Maddie came by to pick up the note not long after.

…

A car honked outside. "Well, that's Tim for you," Bella let out an annoyed huff. "The man has zero patience for tardiness."

I grinned and walked Bella to the door. We gave each other one last hug in parting. "Take care, Bells."

"That's what I should be saying to you." Bella tensed under our embrace. "Promise me something..."

"What?"

"Don't you dare let yourself get hurt."

"Of course."

At the time, I didn't know that I was telling the Belgian a lie.

…

 **(11:15)**

I took another sip of my Smirnoff ice. I swallowed only to choke when I heard the front door open. It must have been Arthur. It couldn't have been anyone else. My hunch was proven to be correct. Arthur walked into the kitchen. His eyes widened when he spotted me sitting at the kitchen table. I was surrounded by a bunch of tissues, crumpled up notes, and two empty Smirnoff bottles. It goes to say that I wasn't making a very good impression on him.

I opened my mouth only to close it shortly afterwards. Arthur just looked so tired. There were dark circles under his eyes. His cheeks had sunken in. Heck. His entire face was thinner. Everything about Arthur was exaggerated. His messy hair. The black blouse that he wore was plastered with an impossible amount of wrinkles. He hardly ever took care of himself, sure. But I had never seen him look this bad. He looked worse than the last time that I had seen him. And believe me, that's saying a lot.

"Um...Hey?" Arthur started awkwardly.

I brushed some hair out of my eyes. My lips trembled. I was somehow able to manage a weak smile. "Hey." Damnit. Why was I so nervous? This boy knew my secrets. He was the person whom I was most intimate with. And yet, I couldn't manage to compose a coherent sentence.

"Are you drinking?" I mutely nodded my head. Arthur's eyes bulged out even more. He knew full well that I didn't drink. Me drinking must have been quite the surprise for him.

"Er...Do you think that you could come here?" He asked.

I furrowed my brows. He was acting much more blunt than usual.

I stood up and walked over to him. My knees wobbled the entire time. I was numb. I didn't feel like I was moving. It was a miracle that I didn't stumble. It was hard not to. The dizzy spells were growing more and more frequent. I was lucky enough to walk in a straight line. So far I wasn't drawing any suspicion. "OK STOP!" Arthur blurted out without warning. I stopped mid pace. The hurt look on my face wasn't fooling him any time soon.

"Arthur, what are you...?" Arthur's eyes pleaded with me. I stopped talking.

"I don't want you close. Not until you hear what I have to say," he stammered. I cocked my head to the side. Something about Arthur, despite his messy appearance, didn't look right. For the life of me I couldn't figure out what it was. "I-I'm sorry about...well everything. I shouldn't have yelled at you. I realize now that you put my well-being above all else. And for that, I thank you. Cheya, love, I know that I don't deserve it...but.."

Arthur didn't have to say another word. I finished for him. "I forgive you, Arthur. I'm sorry too. I should have told you...about everything." My voice choked.

"Now would you mind terribly if I hugged my boyfriend?" I croaked. "I've had a really bad day-"

I was interrupted mid-sentence. Arthur closed the distance between us and pulled me into a hug. "I'm sorry," he murmured, pressing his lips to the top of my head.

"Shut up and stop apologizing," I half-heartedly growled. Arthur pulled away. I looked up and lost myself in his deep, green eyes. I just about melted from the heat of his smoldering and unfathomably attractive glare. His eyes still didn't look right to me, however. They looked off. And that's when I smelled it. I smelled alcohol on his breath. The scent of liquor was overwhelming. I held back a cough.

"A-Arthur?" I squeaked.

Arthur shed me with a devilish grin. I felt unnerved. I backed up into the counter. He followed. His hands were on my waist before I knew it. He had me pinned. Arthur brought himself closer. So close that our waists bucked against each other. I shivered. Arthur bent down to whisper into my ear. "Silly French woman. It's almost infuriating how much you tease me." I blushed. Arthur's eyes roamed across my cotton gray mini skirt. I blushed. I was wearing nylons underneath. But still. His stare burned. But not necessarily in a bad way. I found that I liked the attention.

I scrunched up my nose. The smell of liquor was unbearable. Yet another contradiction. The attraction that I felt to Arthur was incomprehensibly intoxicating. "Don't tell me that you've been drinking," I scolded.

Arthur chuckled. He used a finger to tilt up my chin. I looked him right in the eyes.

"And what if I have? What would you say to that?" he mused.

"Nothing. I just hope that you didn't drive here."

"I took a cab, love."

"Good." I wrapped my arms around his neck. Arthur reciprocated the gesture by running his hands along my hips again. I could feel the heat of his body. My heart pumped like crazy. There was just something so arousing about doing this out in the open. Arthur must have agreed with this sentiment. He shed me with a cheek grin and leaned closer to kiss the crook of my neck. His canines grazed against my sensitive spot. I grit my teeth to suppress a moan.

"What?" Arthur teased. "Are you not enjoying this? Or is it that you're afraid to get caught?" he drawled. Arthur brushed away the hair that had fallen into my face. He tucked it behind my ear. I shivered. He nibbled my earlobe. I didn't realize that I was curving into Arthur's waist. He gasped out in pleasure. This was all so shocking. This was the farthest that I have ever gone with Arthur. He's seen me in my bra and underwear on occasion. But I've never pleasured him like this before. It was positively exhilarating.

Arthur's hand trailed up my skirt. He grabbed my thigh. His eyes never wavered from mine while he did so. "Care if I help myself?" I scowled back. Why ask if he was just going to do what he wanted anyways. Oh. Wait. That's right. Arthur prided himself on being a 'gentleman'. I tutted at Arthur and grabbed his all-too-eager hand. I moved it so that it was cupping my waist again. We were both under the influence. I didn't want to do something that we would both regret when sober. I was still somewhat coherent. Him, I wasn't so sure.

"Just kiss me already!" I snapped.

Arthur's lips twisted into a smirk. "Bossy, aren't we?" I grabbed Arthur by the collar of his shirt and pulled him down to face level. No further prompt was needed. He crushed his lips to mine. He ran his tongue along my bottom lip just to irk me. I parted open my mouth and let him dominate. He tasted awful. But I was too excited to care. Arthur's hands found their way to my thighs again. I dug my nails into them. This only encouraged him more.

"Sooner or later, you'll be begging for me," He teased.

"You're drunk Arthur," I scoffed in between kisses. "Just you wait until I tell sober you what you said to me tonight."

"Sober me has been thinking of doing this for a long while now," he hummed. "He won't mind at all.~"

I grinned. "Whatever you say. Do me a favour. Next time lighten up on the alcohol, will you? You taste like a fucking tavern."

Arthur shuddered. He practically growled in my ear. "You know how much I love it when you swear," he tutted. "And speak for yourself. You've been drinking too."

"Yes. But not nearly as much as you."

"Hmmmm. I'm not so sure about that. Naughty girl; is that another one of your lies?"

I revolted. "Excuse me?!"

"W-what?" Arthur spluttered. I raised my palms and shoved him in the chest. He stumbled backwards. " 'Is that another one of your lies?' That comment was completely uncalled for!" I hissed. I was absolutely furious. Arthur's dumb founded expression was even more infuriating. He didn't think that he had said anything wrong. I shoved past him and headed off towards the front coat room. Screw waiting for Papa. I would take the bus instead. I was so done with everything. Footsteps pounded after me. Arthur's pleas followed not long after. I didn't want to hear what he had to say. I needed; no. I wanted to get away from him.

I knew that I was being impulsive. But after everything that I've been through, I had every right to get angry. I slid open the closet door and snatched my coat. Arthur placed a hand on my shoulder. I didn't hesitate to shrug it off. And violently at that. "What?!" I snapped, slipping on my coat. I tried to pass off the fact that I had just swayed to the side. Arthur didn't seem to notice.

"I...uh...fuck." Oh brilliant. Arthur Kirkland everyone. The man who could speak sweet words of nothing in my ear. But the moment that he screws up, he becomes a gibbering mess. Arthur let out a resigned sigh. He raked a hand through his mussed up hair. "Look, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. I've had a lot to drink..." Arthur faltered. It had just registered to him that I was leaving. The dumbass.

"Wait! Where are you going?!"

"I'm going home. Where else?"

"How?"

"I'll bus. Fuck I don't know! I'll figure something out."

I grabbed my bag from a wooden bench. I jammed my feet into my boots. It took me a while to tie up the laces. I was just so frustrated. And drunk. Don't forget that. I turned around only to come face to face with Arthur's chest. That bastard. He had the nerve to stand in front of the door. "Move," I growled.

"NO!" he snapped. Speaking much louder than necessary might I add. "It's dangerous for you to be out this late." I glowered at him. After a moments deliberation, one that involved him contemplating the value of his miserable life, Arthur stepped away from the door. I wrenched open the door. I wobbled again. I shook my head and urged myself to focus. No dizzy spell was going to stop me from leaving this house. Ah crap. It was snowing. Just perfect.

"At least let me call a cab for you!"

I ignored him and stomped down the front porch. Arthur, being stupid and reckless as usual, trailed after me. He winced when his feet crunched against the salt covered snow. The idiot hadn't even bothered to put on some shoes. "Cheya! For fuck's sake! Get back here! You're being unreasonable, love. Please, just come inside."

I looked over my shoulder and gave him an incredulous look. I couldn't see him all that well. It was too dark. The venom in my voice made up for that. "I'm being unreasonable?! Oh that's rich! Why don't you just-"

And then I slipped.

I lost my balance. My head cracked against the ground. A searing sort of pain pounded at the back of my head. I cried out. My senses dulled. I looked up at the stars. They were getting blurrier and blurrier with each time that I blinked. I heard shouting. Lot's of shouting. My hearing was too muddled to make out what they were saying.

Oh? Why was Arthur hovering over me. Wait. Was he crying? Oh. This wasn't good. I opened my mouth to speak. My voice failed me. My vision quickly followed suit with my voice. Everything hurt. I had a hard time focusing on anything. I felt like I was floating. Nothing seemed real anymore.

"CHEYA! CHEYA! OH GOD NO!" Arthur sobbed. "PLEASE! NO! NO! NO! NO!"

 _Please, don't cry_ , was my last thought before everything went black.

* * *

 **Thanks to:** Red-Hot Habanero, Efficient, Guest, Mehloveshorror, SheeleOtaku3, and exca314 for reviewing last chapter.


	31. Fritzkrieg

**FritzKrieg:**

 **Maddie's POV:**

Somehow, after all of the craziness, things had finally managed to settled down. Gilbert was still a bit riled up. But he was feeling more regretful and sorrowful than anything else. Take everyone back an hour and a half and you have a full out war. The moment that Cheya left the basement, all hell broke loose. All Gilbert could do was stand and listen to his friends scream at him. Maddie, much to her dismay, was one of them. She loved Gilbert to the point that it hurt. Sure. The alcohol had a lot to do with his vulgarity. But she couldn't just stand by and let Gilbert insult and hurt those whom he loved.

If it hadn't been for the look of grief on Gilbert's face, Maddie wouldn't have stepped in defend him. Lovina, Antonio, and Bella had all been furious. They yelled and berated Gilbert for his rude behaviour. Whereas Maddie took a step back. She realized that Gilbert truly and unequivocally hated himself. He didn't say a word. He merely bowed his head in shame. But it was Maddie who saw the tears streak down his face. And it was Maddie who ran over to him and gave him the hug that he so desperately needed. Gilbert sobbed into her shoulder. Only then did Bella, Antonio, and Lovina stop to reevaluate the situation. Soon enough they were all hugging Gilbert.

Lovina cursed Gilbert for his stupidity. She was able to display some form of compassion for him when she told the German that since he wasn't human, that it was alright for potatoes to make mistakes. Antonio patted his buddy on the back, and with a wink, he reassured the albino that everything would work out in the end. Bella promised to check up on Cheya for him. Some damage control was well needed. And after listening to his friend's word of reassurance, Gilbert apologized. He was choked for words. In between sobbing, his impulses took over; he made a bolt for the stairs.

It took just about everyone's strength, both figuratively and literally, to pull Gilbert back into his own self. He desperately wanted to go upstairs and apologize. Maddie suggested otherwise. Gilbert and Cheya were both anxious and vulnerable. Another confrontation would do them no good. Maddie was determined to prevent a life long friendship from crumbling. She also wanted to ensure that no more hearts were broken. Even if hers was torn to pieces in the process.

All it took was a pen and some scrap pieces of paper. Maddie ensured that Gilbert and Cheya could converse without having to speak to each other in person. Words could be expressed in a way that wouldn't lead to a misinterpretation of emotions, tone of voice, and body language. Words had many connotations, sure. But there was nothing simpler than an apology. Bella went upstairs to comfort Cheya. Maddie stayed in the basement to comfort Gilbert.

First rule of business; Gilbert was cut off from all things alcohol. Surprisingly, he complied. The albino was now sipping on a water bottle. His emotions were sobered and kept intact. But he still had a long way to go in terms of the intoxicated department. Maddie understood this well. It would explain why Gilbert had been acting so bold in the first place. His inhibitions were set loose. He was a naturally abrasive person when sober. Alcohol only escalated this behaviour. There were plenty of tensions to go around in the aftermath of the fight. To ease such tensions, which had proven to be impossibly difficult, Maddie relented and put on a movie. An awkward silence would always be preferred over a heated one.

A settled peace was expected in the long run. What Maddie wasn't expecting, however, was for Gilbert to be so close and intimate. The movie started and Gilbert opened up to her. He draped his arms around her shoulders and grabbed her hand. Tears streaked down his face every now and then. Maddie would respond by using the cuff of her sleeve to wipe them away. The movie progressed. The notes between him and Cheya got friendlier in nature. After that, Gilbert became much more blunt in his affections.

Gilbert wasn't paying attention to the movie all that much. He absently twirled one of Maddie's curls around his index finger. The feeling of his breath on her neck made Maddie shiver. She supposed that this was just his way of coping with everything. If the time called for it, she didn't mind to partake in this 'friendly' sort of cuddling. Gilbert needed someone in close contact. It made her heart pump like crazy. But Maddie still reciprocated his affections. Her head rested against his collar bone. Both of their hands were entwined together.

Maddie closed her eyes. The warmth of Gilbert's arm and chest was soothing. Lovina would catch Maddie's gaze every now and then. The Italian would shed her with a smug wink before resuming her enjoyment of the gory, godawful movie that she had picked out for them. Lovina gestured at Maddie. Maddie scowled at the sight of her friend's provocatively suggestive sign language. Lovina got her karma served to her shortly afterwards. Antonio's arms squeezed all air out of her lungs.

Antonio obviously wasn't a fan of horror movies. "Dios mío, ¿cómo puedes ver esto? ¡Estás loca, mujer!" Antonio wailed, burying his face into Lovina's shoulder. His arms tightened around Lovina's already choking frame.

"Let. Go. Can't. Breathe. You. Dumbass. Jerk. B-Bastard." A bug-eyed Lovina somehow managed to wheeze out. The couple went back to bickering back and forth after that. Which was more like Lovina shouting obscenities at Antonio and him repeatedly apologizing for, well, living and breathing.

Maddie smirked. Only to falter when she heard a pained, ear-rattling scream. She perked up and was quick to untangle herself from Gilbert's arms. "Did you hear that?" Gilbert nodded. They stood up from the couch. The screams continued. Lovina and Antonio also noticed that something was awry. The screams were certainly not coming from the horror movie. They sounded too real. That was the truly scary part.

"Mein Gott, what's happening up there?" Gilbert choked out in a horrified whisper.

Maddie didn't hesitate. She sprinted up the stairs and out of the basement. Her friends were quick on her heels. Maddie entered the upstairs hallway. She swerved to avoid crashing into Alfred. "What happened?" she screamed.

"I don't know?!" Alfred bellowed back. The American clambered down the front hallway. Only to realize that the front door was left wide open. Maddie approached from behind. What she saw next nearly made her fall to the ground out of grief. She choked back a sob when she spotted Cheya lying on the ground, unconscious or God knows what. A sobbing Arthur hovered over her. Maddie froze at the door. She blinked away the tears that streamed down her face.

 **"** CHEYA! CHEYA! OH GOD NO!" Arthur sobbed. "PLEASE! NO! NO! NO! NO!"

"CHEYA!" Alfred hurdled down the porches' front steps. He crouched beside the French's limp body. "WHAT HAPPENED?" Alfred bellowed at the Briton. Another pain screamed echoed into the night.

"CHEYA!" Gilbert's voice broke off. He was blinded with tears and nearly tripped over himself as he staggered over to the -hopefully- unconscious French. Maddie couldn't breathe. She didn't know when. But she found herself standing on the edge of the drive way. She looked down in horror at her 'unconscious' friend. Time was going by much too fast for her to notice anything else. She didn't see Lovina and Antonio step outside. They held onto to each other tightly.

Lovina sobbed into Antonio's shoulder. She knew that there wasn't much that they could do.

"I...I...we got into a fight. She tried to leave...and...she-she...fell..." Arthur choked out in between sobs. Alfred winced and nodded his head. Further explanation was no longer necessary. It would only waste time. Which was something that Cheya was running out of.

"THIS IS YOUR FAULT!" Gilbert hissed. "MY BEST FRIEND'S GONE BECAUSE OF YOU! SHE'S GONE AND SHE'S NEVER GOING TO COME BACK. YOU TOOK AWAY HER LIFE. MY LIFE. HER FATHER'S LIFE. YOU SICK TWISTED SON OF A BITCH. LOOK WHAT YOU DID. LOOK WHAT YOU RUINED. L-LOOK WHAT YOU-"

"SHE'S NOT DEAD!" Natalia snapped. At this point, the Belarusian was cradling Cheya's head in her lap. Natalia gently prodded her fingers at the back of Cheya's head. Natalia winced when her fingers came across a large bump.

Alfred spoke in a rushed whisper. "Is it a concussion?" He had dropped any sense of goofiness. He was cold, hard, calculated, serious, and quite frankly, terrifying. The air had gone dry. Alfred's anger was growing by the second. He was smoldering from head to toe. Maddie could have sworn that he was twitching.

Natalia nodded. She appeared to be daunted by Alfred's quickly spiking temper. "I think so. But we need to get her out of here; fast. There could be internal bleeding."

Natalia looked over her shoulder. "Did someone call an ambulance?"

Maddie sniffed. "We're too far out! It'd be faster if we drove." Cheya groaned. Everyone jumped at the sound of it. Gilbert cried out and fell to his knees. He reached out to cup a hand around Cheya's eerily pale face. Arthur sobbed out of relief. He tried to do the very same thing. Arthur and Gilbert exchanged murderous glances.

"DON'T YOU FUCKING TOUCH HER!" Gilbert roared. "Hase. Hase. Can you you hear me? We're getting you help. Just h-hang on. Hang on Hase. Hang on. Hang on. Please. Just hang on!" Gilbert could hardly speak at this point.

Arthur fumed. "SHE'S MY GIRLFRIEND. I HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO SEE THAT SHE'S-"

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Alfred hollered with a glower so fierce, that everyone's mouths clamped shut in an instant. "THERE ARE FAR MORE IMPORTANT THINGS TO DO THAN TO SIT HERE AND BICKER LIKE A BUNCH OF FUCKING TODDLERS!"

Alfred turned to Natalia. "I'll start the truck. I want her on her back with her head propped up. Will you be able to carry her?" Natalia nodded. Gilbert offered to help. Natalia brushed him off without a second glance. She scooped up Cheya into a bridal position and carried her to the truck with a surprising amount of ease. Arthur opened the car door for them. Cheya mumbled something incoherent. She was slipping in and out of consciousness. This wasn't good. They needed to get organized. And fast.

Arthur could barely contain his sobs as he tried to sooth the delirious French. "Cheya, love, yes, it's me. Sweetheart, shhh. You're going to be just fine. Yes. Yes. He's right here. Gilbert's fine. He's right here with you. We're all here. We're getting help. You just have to hold on for a little bit longer," he stammered.

Natalia handed Cheya over to Arthur and climbed into the far end of the back seat. Arthur treated her as if she were made of glass. He placed the French onto the seat. Natalia carefully slid Cheya onto her back. She let the French's head fall onto her lap again.

"Gilbert...hnnnn?"

Gilbert cried out. He surged forward but was quickly held back by Antonio. The Spaniard shook his head and told the German that they didn't have time for this. Gilbert screamed, swore, and cursed. Antonio showed no intention of lessening his grip. Time was ticking. If it ran out they could very well loose someone precious to all of them. Maddie and Lovina hurried inside to grab everyone's coats.

Maddie rushed to meet Alfred at the driver's window. Arthur was climbing into the passenger's seat. Maddie winced at the sound of Gilbert's desperate pleas. "Let me go! Please! I need to see her! I need to be with here! She needs me! I-I need her!"

"SHE NEEDS TO GET TO THE HOSPITAL FIRST! YOU'LL SEE HER AFTERWARDS!" Antonio bellowed back. Gilbert elbowed, bit, and spat out just about everything this his grief stricken mind could muster. Antonio didn't let go of his hysterical friend.

Lovina sniffled and dove straight into the cross fire. "Shut up! Antonio's right. We don't have much time! For all we know she could be dy-" Lovina couldn't bear to finish the rest of her sentence. Gilbert stopped fighting. He had just realized the heavy truth of Lovina's words. He bowed his head and only then did he let go of all of the anger that he had bottled up for so long. Gilbert howled in pain. The sound of it brought tears to Maddie's already streaming eyes.

Alfred started up the truck. "You taking the mini van?" Maddie nodded. "Alright. I'll see you there." The screech of tires could be heard. Alfred's truck backed out of the driveway and sped around the corner. Maddie used her sleeve to wipe away her tears. She grit her teeth; she could cry later.

Maddie slid open the doors to the mini van. "Let's go!" she ordered. "We don't have much time!" Lovina and Antonio scrambled into the back. Gilbert took shot gun. It wasn't long before Maddie too was speeding around the corner.

Antonio called Cheya's father. No one else spoke in the car. Maddie felt numb. Signs and roads were nothing but blurs in the never ending mess of this catastrophic night. It was full of unprecedented bumps, bruises, twists, and turns. Maddie was on the brink of having a nervous break down. She could only stomach so much pain. She had never felt so helpless. Her best friend was injured. The man that she loved was broken. And then she had to deal with her own feelings. Which, in the grand scope of things, were never deemed to be important enough.

 _This wasn't supposed to happen. No one was supposed to get hurt._

Maddie held back her tears. Her hands gripped onto the steering wheel so tightly that the whites of her knuckles showed. She grit her teeth and willed herself to move forward. No one could have predicted this. She couldn't possibly blame herself. All she could do was hope for the best and pray for one of the best friends that she had ever had.

* * *

 **Maddie's POV:**

Maddie was sitting in the waiting room. She was this close to killing everyone in sight. For a good reason, of course. The last hour and a half was spent waiting and glowering in an awkward silence. Alfred and Natalia were speaking with a team of doctors; Cheya's father hadn't arrived yet. There was also the fact that Arthur and Gilbert shared no possibility of behaving themselves properly. Which had left Maddie stuck with the job of babysitting them.

From what Maddie could hear, Cheya had a major concussion. But other than that, the French didn't seem to have any life threatening injuries. It sucked that no one was allowed to visit her. The doctors were currently running some tests. Just to be safe. Time couldn't have gone by any slower. Lovina and Antonio had left not too long ago. Her grandfather had come to pick them up. Maddie, unfortunately, was left to her own devices. It was unbearable to stay in the same room with the two remaining idiots. Arthur was moping. Gilbert was fuming. The tension was insufferable. She was already agitated enough as it was. Pity that screaming her head off wouldn't help all that much.

Maddie came close to screaming many times. The only thing that prevented her from doing so was the fact that the two boys were silently crying to themselves. Gilbert sat separate from Maddie and Arthur. Even so, he still made a point to glare at Arthur the entire time. Maddie deadpanned. Both boys blamed themselves for this accident. Gilbert was at 'fault' because he had made Cheya angry enough to leave the basement. Arthur blamed himself for allowing her to leave the house in the first place. Pointless thinking if you ask her.

Arthur got up to use the washroom. Predictably and on cue, Gilbert ushered out a snide comment. Arthur scowled but was wise enough not to respond. Not that Maddie wasn't glaring daggers at him or anything. Oh no. Maddie rolled her eyes. Sure. Everyone was relieved about the stabilization of Cheya's condition. But the anger was still there. And by the looks of it, it wouldn't be leaving anytime soon.

Gilbert shrugged on his jacket and stood up. Maddie's mouth parted open to say something. The furious look on Gilbert's face made her to falter. Gilbert glared at her. His eyes dared for her to say something. Maddie hiccuped. Gilbert shrugged. He shed her with a cruel, bitter, and perhaps even daring smile before he walked off. Maddie grit her teeth, stood up, and shrugged on her own jacket.

She hurried after her estranged friend and followed him outside. No way in hell was she just going to let him walk off like that. Foul mood or not, Maddie wasn't going to let Gilbert scare her way. It was all an act. Once she punctured through his tough exterior he would reveal his true feelings to her. She was well accustomed to the drill of his uneven and sporadic battle with grief. Anger now. Crying later. This wasn't the first time that she had comforted Gilbert. And it certainly wouldn't be the last.

Maddie's patience, however, was wearing quite thin.

* * *

 **Gilbert's POV:**

Gilbert felt sick to his stomach. He was revolted with himself. He was repulsed by Arthur. And he was disgusted by his behavior. He needed to get some fresh air. He'd go crazy if he didn't. The only solace that Gilbert had was the stability of Cheya's condition. Aside from that, Gilbert was just about ready to explode. To top off the shitstorm, he had been a complete asshole to Maddie. Just great. Maddie was the one person who he knew that he could confide in. But even Maddie, in all of her patience, had a breaking point. Gilbert cursed under his breath. He'd have to make a conscious effort to control his anger in front of her. She didn't deserve to face any of his backlash. Not now. And not ever.

Gilbert pushed open the hospital doors. He blinked spots out of his vision. Why did hospitals have to be so bright anyway? No wonder so many people saw 'the light'. The light at the end of the tunnel? More like the light at the end of the hallway. Gilbert grumbled and walked out into the chilly night. He found himself lurking in one of the hospital's many courtyards. This one in particular had many pine trees. All of which were decorated with an excessive amount of Christmas lights and decorations. Gilbert may not have been in a festive mood himself. But he could still appreciate the beauty of the sparkling lights. The decorations reminded him about how fussy his younger bruder could get when it came to dressing up their own family tree. Everyone ornament had to be lined up perpendicular to one another. And if Gilbert snagged so much as one candy cane off of the tree, Ludwig would know in an instant. The OCD freakazoid recorded a daily inventory of the tree's candy cane supply.

Gilbert sighed deeply and raked a hand through his hair. The silence after the storm of this hectic night was soothing. That is, until Maddie's voice screeched from somewhere behind him. "Gilbert Beilschmidt! Where do you think you're going?" she quipped. Maddie stomped up to Gilbert with an angry look on her face. Her cheeks were red from the cold.

"I'm taking a breather. What does it look like?" Gilbert snapped with an indignant sounding huff. He turned his back to her. He was more than ashamed of his behaviour today. Call him selfish all you want. But he didn't want to face the music just yet. His bubble had already been popped way too much for his comfort. It was at times like this that ignorance was the bliss all of things crazy. Said crazy came in the form of a hobbit-sized Canadian girl.

Maddie huffed and puffed to get his attention. "Gilbert?!"

Gilbert groaned and turned around to meet her scowling face. He stifled a smirk when he noticed just how cute she looked. Sure. Maddie could be scary at times. But she didn't intimidate him in the slightest. She was just so short. There was also the fact that she still hadn't been able to perfect her 'bitch face.' Ja. That was one disaster of a lesson alright. Regardless. It wasn't in Maddie's nature to be malicious.

"What?" Gilbert mumbled, shrinking under her gaze. Ok. Maybe he was a bit intimidated by her. But only by a little bit. Maddie clicked her tongue in irritation. Gilbert deadpanned. Oh-Oh. Here comes the lecture.

But rather than cussing him out, Maddie whimpered. She choked for words. Gilbert was surprised by this. It made his mind spin. Usually Maddie was the one to comfort him. Heck. Just this night alone they had grown closer. In fact, he might even be developing feelings for her. Ja. That must be it. He couldn't ignore this warm sort of fondness that he felt towards her. It was a feeling that made his chest squeeze with discomfort. But it was a good type of discomfort. It was the type of discomfort that made him nervous to open up. But it still nonetheless made him very excited to learn more about her.

But to see her like this. To see tears streak down her face. It shattered his ego in one swell swoop. His pride could go fuck itself. It was about time that he stepped up and became the friend that Maddie had always been for him. "W-why?" she mumbled. "Why do you always have to act like this?"

Gilbert's eyes twitched. "Act like what?" he hissed. Crap. His anger was slowly taking over again.

Maddie flinched. Gilbert felt his heart constrict. All he ever did was hurt people. Absolutely sickening.

"Like no one ever cares about you. You're loved, Gilbert. You always have been." Maddie's voice cracked. "Don't you realize that what you do affects the others around you?" Don't you realize that you hurt me every time that you mess up?"

Maddie chuckled bitterly. "God. I sound so selfish right now. I came out here to check up on you. But all I can do is talk about myself. Well fine. I'm done being swept to the side."

Gilbert's mouth parted open with shock. "Maddie," he started only to stop when she held up a trembling hand to silence him.

"N-no! You're going to listen to what I have to say, damn you! I'm sick of you using me whenever it proves to be convenient. I'm tired of being ignored! I have feelings too. I hate being brushed off. I hate it when you don't tell me how you really feel. It drives me how crazy how godamned reckless you are..."

At this point both of them were bawling their eyes out. Gilbert bit his lip. He let Maddie rip right into him. He deserved it. Every last word of it. He truly did. He did use her. He had used her as a distraction whenever it came to coping with his feelings for Cheya. He had used her for the convenience of comfort. It was unfair and woefully so. Maddie was the only one who had put any effort into their friendship. It was true. He did ignore her. He had never given her a chance to speak. It was always about him. It was never about her.

Gilbert felt disgusted with himself all over again. He had taken advantage of Maddie's loyalty. And now, his selfishness was blowing up right in his face. Maddie was slipping from his grasp. There was nothing that he could do about it. All he could do was give her the benefit of the doubt by listening to her. Really listening to her. And so, he did. Gilbert was giving her the chance to finally speak her mind. Because only God knows how long she had been bottling up these feelings for.

"...You're impulsive. You're arrogant. And you're too blind to realize that you're bringing everyone else down with you. I've cried countless times for you, Gilbert. And yet you still won't give me the light of day when I ask you what's wrong. That's all that I've ever wanted from you. From the very beginning, I saw that you were hurting on the inside. But I'm done trying. If you want help, then ask. I'm not playing this game where you need me and then you don't. I'm not your mother and I'm certainly not going to chase after you."

Maddie angrily wiped at the tears streaming down her pallid face. "I care deeply for you. More than you'll ever know. But I can't go on like this. It's wearing me out. And quite frankly, I'm tired of it." Maddie turned her back on him.

"Maddie," Gilbert choked, stretching out his hand and grasping at the air before him. "Please. Don't leave me. I'm sorry! I'll do anything. You're right...I...fucked up. Badly. But we can fix things. I'll tell you everything that you want. God. I have so many things that I want to tell you." Gilbert trailed off. Maddie was walking away from him. It was finally happening. He had broken her to the point that she had given up entirely.

Maddie paused to look over her shoulder one last time. "Gilbert," she sighed, shedding him with a shy smile. Silent tears streamed down her rosy face. "I accept your apology. But now's not the best time for that. Besides. I think it's about time that I went home. I've embarrassed myself enough for one night."

"Je t'aime Gilbert," Maddie mumbled under her breath. "Perhaps we'll grow to love each other one day."

"Maddie, wait!" Gilbert called after her retreating figure. "I-I…-"

Gilbert's breath hitched when he realized that Maddie was gone.

"I love you," he finished in a breathless whisper.

 _I'm sorry Maddie. I've always tried to get people to notice you. Yet I myself didn't notice that I had been hurting you this entire time. You truly are a beautiful person. On the inside and out. It's a shame that you've put up with my rotting personality for so long. Why do you do it? Silly, selfless, girl. You've just robbed me of my heart. And now I can't even hope to steal yours...I don't deserve it._

* * *

 **Arthur's POV:**

Arthur had finally cried himself dry. He hadn't breathed for what felt like hours. The image of Cheya lying there on the ground, lifeless and unresponding was a concept straight from one of his greatest nightmares. Guilt wracked his brain. The pain of mourning for his girlfriend, if he could still call her that, swelled up in his chest. The thought of losing the most important person in his life had shaken him to his core. Arthur thanked just about every God that he could think of when the doctors had declared her condition to be stable. However. A concussion was still a very serious injury. One that should not be taken lightly.

Arthur was still sitting in the waiting room. This time he was alone. Maddie, Natalia, and Alfred had all gone home at this point. But he wasn't planning on leaving anytime soon. Arthur intended to stay unless told otherwise. He wanted to be there for Cheya. Unfortunately, Gilbert was making it increasingly difficult for him to do so. Pair that with extremely bright lights, a pounding headache -courtesy of too much booze-, and a woozy stomach. The result? A very grumpy and distraught Arthur.

The doctors had finally allowed visitors into Cheya's room. But where Gilbert was allowed into the room, Arthur had been barred from entering. Arthur had a sneaking suspicion that Gilbert had told the nurses his - _biased_ \- side of the story. Arthur willed himself not to get angry at this sleazy stunt. After all, it was his fault that Cheya had left the house in the first place.

Arthur was prepared to face that backlash that he would soon likely face. He would take full responsibility for his actions and wouldn't ask for forgiveness. He would apologize and expect no more than that. Arthur let his head fall into his hands. The pain of not knowing ate away at his conscience. Frustrating as it was, he knew that it wasn't his place to pry. At least, not right now, when the situation was still heated and raw. Arthur ruminated over his options. His thick brows furrowed into a frown. He supposed that he could ask that male nurse about Cheya's condition. Arthur wavered under the nurses' stern glare. No. Never mind. That man was downright terrifying.

"Where's Mon cherie?!" Arthur snapped out of his thoughts. The cries of a deeply accented voice bounced off of the corridor's walls. French, was it? Arthur felt his heart sink. It must have been Cheya's father. Arthur didn't get a good look at him. The only thing that he saw was a whip of blond hair. The smell of roses lingered in the air. Arthur wrinkled his nose in disgust; too strong.

"Francis!" Gilbert called.

The German ran out into the hallway to greet the frantic Frenchman.

"She's awake now!"

Arthur sighed out of relief.

Good news, indeed.

…

Arthur's head snapped up. Someone had pulled up a chair next to him. The person cleared their throat. "You must be Arthur?" Arthur slowly nodded his head. He frowned as he took in the man's effeminate appearance. Shoulder length blonde hair, blue eyes, and a smirk that for someone reason drove Arthur off the wall. It was extremely irritating to look at. The man was fairly youthful in appearance. He couldn't have been older than forty.

"Pleasure to meet you. The name's Franics." The man didn't sound very 'pleasured' at all. Arthur extended his arm to shake hands. Francis was too busy stroking the stubble on his chin.

"My, my," Francis tutted. He examined Arthur with a puzzled look. "They really are thick..."

"Pardon me?!" Arthur spluttered, his eyes bulging. His eyes were also watering due to the fact that Francis wore an excessive amount of perfume.

"Your eyebrows. They're quite the sight."

Arthur didn't have anything to say to that. He shook his head. No. Strangling the man certainly wasn't an option. No matter how tempting. Really now. Francis was starting to get on his nerves. The satisfied smirk on the Frenchman's face told Arthur everything that he needed to know. Francis took a sadistic pleasure in irking him. The two men sat in an awkward silence. Arthur's temper spiked when Francis began to whistle. Sensing the tension, Francis stopped whistling. He let out a bored sigh.

It took Arthur a while before he found the courage to speak again. "Is she alright?"

"Oui. She's finally fallen asleep. The doctors plan to keep her here for a few days."

Arthur hummed in response.

"She's murmured your name several times in her sleep."

"O-Oh...Did she say anything else?"

"I wasn't listening." Francis drummed his fingers against the plastic arm rest. "May I ask you a question?"

"Yes. Of course you can, er, sir."

"Do you love my daughter?"

Arthur made sure to look Francis right in his shrewd blue eyes when he answered. "I love her more than anyone else in the world."

"Good," Francis smiled, seemingly placated. "Then I suggest you leave."

"May I ask why?" Arthur choked out.

Francis held up his hands in apology. "Personally, I don't have anything against you. I've also had my fair share of mess ups in relationships. Ones that were far worse than this. Accidents happen. Words that are never meant to be spoken are said.."

Francis paused to twirl a strand of hair around his index finger. Arthur deadpanned. This guy was seriously full of himself. It was obvious that he liked the sound of his voice. A voice that oddly reminded Arthur of a frog. Deep and gravelly. It wasn't just cringe worthy. It was croak worthy. (Ha).

"I can tell that you love her. It's written all over your face. But, for now, I think it would be best if you left. Gilberte is very protective of her. The last thing that she needs right now is another fight."

Arthur nodded his head. "That's very fair of you, sir. If you don't mind, I'd like to apologize for-"

Arthur was silenced mid-sentence. Francis had placed a slender, well manicured finger over his lips.

"Hush. Apology accepted. Now leave. Your voice annoys me." Francis rolled his eyes and waved his hands at Arthur in a lazy, but still dismissive shooing motion.

"My daughter may be fond of you. But I'm afraid that I can't say the same."

Arthur balled his hands into tight fists. He wouldn't be getting along with this man any time soon. Unequivocally, the two already hated each other. The only reason that they were on speaking terms was for the sake of Cheya. You would think that their rivalry was born straight out of history. Their mutual hatred of each other was just that natural.

Arthur grabbed his coat. "Would you mind if I visited her again?"

If it were up to him, Arthur would have stayed the night. He was only leaving out of respect. He had caused enough harm for one night. God forbid that he created more.

"Do whatever you please. I couldn't care less."

Arthur grit his teeth. "I'll take that as a yes?"

"Did I say yes?"

"No?"

"Then no."

"But you didn't say no?"

Francis chuckled. "Clever boy," he mused. "I'm just teasing. Yes, you may. But promise me one last thing."

"Of course. What can I do for you?"

"Brush your hair. It looks absolutely dreadful."

"Yes sir." Arthur somehow managed to ground out through clenched teeth. "I'll be sure to do that."

"Is that sarcasm I hear?"

Arthur stood up.. "No sir, not at all. Good night sir."

Once more, Arthur offered a hand to the Frenchman.

Francis sneered at Arthur's hand. All the while mumbling a snide remark under his breath. It had something to do with 'brutish finger nails.'

Arthur pulled back his hand. He fumed with anger but willed himself not to show it. Arthur shed Francis with a polite smile and nodded his head in farewell.

The Briton turned on his heels. Only then did he let a scowl form on his face. "Cheers to getting to know that obnoxious excuse of a man," he muttered.

* * *

 **Thanks to:** Guest, Guest, Exca314, Efficient, Red-Hot Habanero, Sheeleotaku3, Fandita-lp, and TheBlueAcid for reviewing last chapter.

Also, a big thanks to Fandita-lp for helping me translate Antonio's Spanish!

 **Translations** : Antonio- My God, you crazy woman! How do you watch this?

One more chapter to go until the long awaited Prucan moment…


	32. Nor-Way Hose

**WARNING** : The end of this chapter is probably the closest that I'll ever come to Smut. Don't read Lovina's POV if you don't like that kind of stuff. One of my friends on this site dared me to write it. You know who you are, oh smug one.

~Also, I'm kind of surprised that you guys didn't have much to say about Gilbert and Maddie's fight? Oh well…. Reviews are are very much appreciated, if you are so inclined :)

* * *

 **Nor-way Hose:**

 **Hospital Day 1:** December 23rd, 11:00 AM

 **Cheya's POV:**

I was sifting in and out of consciousness. I only remembered bits and pieces from last night. I remember falling and cracking my head on the ice. I remember everyone crying. I remember Gilbert holding my hand when the nurse put the IV needle in my wrist. I winced. I had never been one to cope well with needles. I remember being woken up every couple hours by a pale haired nurse. I think that her name was Emily. Ack. A strong fluorescent light filtered through my eyelids and I tried to fight against it. I felt a dull ache at the back of my head. My senses were very foggy. Perhaps that was for the best. I didn't want to wake up and feel the full brink of my injury. Maybe I should go back to sleep… I could always wake up later.

" _CHEYA! CHEYA! OH GOD NO!"_ A familiar yet slightly muddled voice screamed in my head. I tried to ignore it. I wanted to sleep. Nothing was going to get in the way of that. But, of course, with my luck, the voice in my head continued to pester me. Tch. What a nuisance. Can't it see that I'm trying to sleep? To my annoyance, the voice grew louder every time that it spoke.

 _"My God woman! How much does a 100-pound girl need to eat?"_

 _"Good night slut bunny."_

 _"It wouldn't hurt for you to use the Queen's English..._ "

And then, like a sack of bricks, it hit me. Arthur. Every memory that we shared together flashed through my mind. Our first kiss. Our library and dorky movie dates. His adorable tendency to spoil me with 'surprise' cupcakes. My tendency to get on his nerves literally every waking minute that we spent together. His messy hair. His scowling green eyes. That stiff upper lip that did teasing wonders on mine whenever he kissed me. I missed him. I missed his lectures. I missed the kind hearted side of him that he reserved only for me. I missed everything about him. I loved that stubborn Briton. So much so that it physically hurt.

I was slowly becoming aware of the room around me. I was lying on my back. I could feel the prick of an IV needle in my wrist. I could hear the beeping of a heart rate monitor. I was still drifting, but I was more aware. My senses had heightened. The pain in my head had grown, but it wasn't nearly as bad as last night. Ah. Last night. Painful memories flooded through my head now. Gilbert kissing me. The heart broken expression on his face. Arthur breaking up with me. The betrayed expression on his face. Maddie's movie night. My fight with Gilbert. Both of us crying. My make up with Arthur. The way how his lips practically melted onto mine. The way how I leaned into his touch. How I ached for something more. And then our fight. How I had left the house. How I had slipped. And how I had ended up here in the hospital. I remembered shouting. Lots of shouting. I remember crying out for Gilbert. For Arthur too. I remember blacking out, and ending up in a stiff hospital bed. Doctors asked me questions. They ran a series of CT scans. I remember seeing Papa cry. That broke my heart. I hated it when I made him worry. I hated it when I made anyone worry about me. But what about Arthur? I didn't remember much of him last night. Was he OK?

The thought of Arthur brought me into full consciousness. I felt a dulled pain in the back of my head. I must have been given some pain medication. My eyelids fluttered open. I clamped them shut when I realized that I wasn't alone in my room. I didn't recognize the voices. They must have been doctors. I turned my head to the side and let out a feigned sigh. Maybe if I pretended to sleep I could find out what was going on.

Carefully, I opened my eyelids by a crack. I immediately recognized the pale haired nurse from last night. Except, rather than her kind and residually warm expression, Emily wore a clear look of disdain on her face. Her eyebrows were furrowed into a frown and she was pretty well hissing out of anger. A taller man with shaggy blond hair, which had an odd curl to it, and deep indigo eyes leered down at the fuming Icelander. Part of his bangs had been clipped back with a cross clip. His face seemed to have a permanent smugness to it. The man was practically smirking under Emily's murderous glower.

The Norwegian clicked his pen and tapped it against the edge of the clip board that he had clutched to his chest. He appeared to be bored, yet also somewhat amused as the Icelander ripped right into him. "I'M NOT CALLING YOU THAT. IT'S CREEPY AND I REFUSE TO LOWER MYSELF TO YOUR SCUMBAG SCHEMES."

The doctor in the white lab coat tsked with a patronizing click of the tongue. A hint of a grin tugged on the corners of his thin and now pursed lips. "You had no problem crying out for me when I-"

SLAP!

I held back my wince. I wasn't expecting Emily to slap that guy. Who knew that that woman had it in her to be so violent? I silently approved. From what I could tell, that guy totally deserved it. But, being the infamous love detective that I was, I also picked up on the immense amount of sexual tension in the air. It was suffocating.

The Norwegian's head flailed to left. Emily seethed. "T-that's different! My God Lukas, do you have to be so vulgar?" She huffed. The Icelander blushed. Lukas' eyes widened in mock surprise. He cupped a delicate hand to his assailed cheek. After a moment of silence, the Norwegian's eyes narrowed. "If only you were this fun in bed…." The doctor drew out the last part of his sentence just to get on the young nurse's nerves. "Emmy…."

"DON'T CALL ME THAT EITHER!"

Lukas pouted. "You're no fun. Come on. Stop procrastinating and just say it. You know you want to."

Emily turned her head to the side and crossed her arms. The Icelander cussed under her breath. Lukas chuckled as he wrapped his arms around the fuming nurse's waist. Huh. So there was something going on between them. I shamelessly continued to watch their Tsundere romance moment. What? It's not like I had anything else to do.

The Norwegian bent down so that he could whisper teasing nonsense into the Icelander's ear. "Say it," he whispered. Emily's face turned bright red in response.

"NO!"

"Say it Emmy. You know that it drives me crazy when you don't. Say it and end my lonely misery. I barely get to see you now. I need your love to get me through this long day of work."

Emily scoffed. She was in no means fazed by his conniving ploys. "I WON'T."

"Please," Lukas whined.

Emily bit her lip. Knowing that he had won this argument, Lukas planted a kiss against her neck. Emily shivered. "Fine….B-b-big." The Icelander stammered out of embarrassment. She was blushing profusely. "I can't believe that you're actually making me say this!" Emily snapped.

"You have you're needs, and I have mine. Now meet them before I neglect yours." OK. I think it's about time that I intervened. Things were getting unprecedentedly weird. I stirred in my 'fake sleep' and sighed.

"Would you look at that~!" Emily trilled. "Our patient's waking up! Look's like your _needs_ will have to wait!" the Icelander laughed and practically sang as she spoke. I stifled a grin. I was always happy to help. Even if I was unlawfully eavesdropping on their conversation. "Duty calls!~" The Icelander made a beeline for my bed. I closed my eyes. Emily gasped.

I assumed that Lukas must have held her back. I cracked my eyes open again. Yup. Lukas had her trapped in yet another koala hug. "Duty can wait. Now say it. Don't make me punish you when we get home."

I didn't want to know what Lukas' punishment entailed. I almost felt bad for poor Emily. But then again, despite her angry expression, the Icelander was in fact leaning into the Norwegian's touch. They must have shared some sort of spark together, albeit it being somewhat dysfunctional. Not that I should be the one to judge. I still had my own dysfunctional relationship to work through. Oh Arthur. Where are you?

Emily whimpered when Lukas planted a kiss on her nose. "Please," he murmured. "Emmy, I need to hear your voice." The Icelander squirmed when the Norwegian's hands slid down to cup both sides of her waist. "Y-you can hear my voice now, idiot."

"Hmmm. True, but it's not the same. Come on. Three syllables, you can do it," Lukas purred. Emily vehemently shook her head in protest. The Icelander was trying to break free from the Norwegian's grasp. Lukas's patience was waning by the minute. "Emmy, you're making me very angry right now," he tutted.

"FINE! _BIG DADDY_! ARE YOU HAPPY NOW?! Emily raged. Chuckling, Lukas released her from his forceful embrace. The Icelander scrambled to my bedside. For good measure, I sighed and pretended to stir in my 'sleep' again. "Tsk naughty girl Emmy. You really shouldn't say such things in front of a patient!" Lukas simpered.

Glowering, Emily reached into the front pocket of her blue nurse's uniform. The Norwegian ducked to avoid the pen that Emily had rightfully flung at his head. "GET OUT!" she screamed. With a frown, Lukas sulked out of the hospital room.

"Hey Emmy?" With a grin, the Norwegian popped his head around the frame of the door.

"WHAT?!

Lukas winked. "Save that passion for tonight," Emily's eyes flashed with a murderous glint, but before she could assault him with another volley of pens, the Norwegian took this as his cue to leave. Emily angrily mumbled something under her breath. You could still hear the echoes of Lukas' placated evil laughter. "The nerve of that guy," Emily growled. Her tone of voice softened when she placed a gentle hand over my forehead. "Honey, are you awake? Hopefully our yelling didn't give you too much of a headache."

I opened my eyes and feigned a yawn. "N-no, it didn't. Um, so what happened?" I sat up. My head spun and I closed my eyes. Eventually, the dizziness subsided. I must have been out for quite some time now.

Emily sat on the foot of my bed. "You gave yourself a nasty concussion. With some pain medication, lots of rest, and proper nutrition, we can probably have you out of here in a couple of days. By tomorrow afternoon if you're lucky."

I nodded my head. I turned my gaze to the bundle of get well cards, flowers, and sweets that sat on my bed side table. I smiled. Emily plucked the nearest card from the table and handed it to me. It was red and had tomato patterns on the front. I opened the card. Two people's hand writing was included on it.

" _Ciao wine bitch. You really scared us there. Antonio cried like a little bitch. I didn't, if you wondering. Well... maybe a little… But don't tell anyone that I did, or I'll cut you. Um. Yeah. Get better. See you soon, I guess? But not too soon. I can only stand so much of you at a time. Oh. Before I forget. Feli made some pasta for you. The Idiota's still puking her guts out, but when she heard about your fall, she got up and cooked for you. So you better eat every last bite of it..._

 _With Love,_

 _Your crazy ass muthafucka neighbor (aka Lovina)_

 _(P.S you're an obnoxious drunk. Simmer the fuck down.)_

I looked to the bedside table again and spotted a metal thermos hidden between two cupcake boxes. My stomach growled at the very thought of eating Feli's pasta. That girl could cook.

 _"Hola Chica! I hope that you're doing alright. When we came to visit you this morning you were still sleeping! You looked so cute! I guess that you need your rest, though. Want to hear something funny? Lovina almost gave me a concussion myself when I…._

Antonio's writing trailed off and eventually it turned into scribbles. It looked like someone had angrily scratched out the last sentence. I smirked. Oh Lovina. What were you trying to hide? I shook my head. I would never get tired of those two. Watching them bicker with each other was one of my guilty pleasures.

After going through my other get well cards with Emily's help, I wasn't able to mask my disappointment when I realized that I hadn't received anything from Gilbert or Arthur. I suppose that they could be in the hospital right now. That was the only hope that I could cling onto. I desperately needed to see a familiar face. Or what about Papa? He must be here. Speaking of Papa….

I held out my hand in front of me when I noticed something awry with it. Emily chuckled when she saw my confused expression. My finger nails were painted a bright pink. My hands then went to my hair when I realized that it wasn't sweeping over into my face. It was intricately woven into a tight French braid. I turned my head and looked at the arm chair resting beside my bed. Papa's coat was draped over it. I winced. He must have been there all night. "You have quite the loving father," Emily remarked.

I laughed. "Oui, I do." I stifled an eye roll. I wonder how late my Papa must have stayed up last night doing this. Knowing the old fool, he probably didn't get any sleep at all. The serene moment that Emily and I shared together was interrupted with a series of frantic shouts.

"LET ME IN GOD DAMNIT! I DON'T GIVE A FUCK IF I'M NOT HER IMMEDIATE FAMILY!" Gilbert's voice screeched from somewhere outside my room.

Emily sighed and rolled her eyes. "Your friend has been plotting to sneak past security all morning."

"Well, I'm awake now. It wouldn't hurt to let him in, would it? I asked. Emily shrugged. "No, I suppose not." The Icelander stepped outside the room. Eventually, the yelling outside calmed down and subsided. Not long after, a meek looking Gilbert stepped into the room. His red eyes widened when he realized that I was awake. The German had dark circles under his eyes and his hair was mussed up from what must have been a restless night of sleeping in the waiting room.

Gilbert didn't give me a chance to speak. Before I knew it, he was at my bedside, pulling me into a hug. The German's chest wracked with sobs of relief. We sat there for a few minutes. Crying into each other's shoulders. I rubbed a hand over Gilbert's back and he pulled away. Rubbing at his eyes, Gilbert sat at the foot of my bed.

My mouth parted open to say something. Gilbert scowled when I gave him a questioning look. "He's not here. Francis sent him home last night." I smiled to stifle my horror. Papa had met Arthur. That must have been quite the awkward encounter. No. I shook my head. That didn't matter right now. I can think about Arthur later. The only person that I should be focusing on right now was Gilbert.

I reached over to grab Gilbert's hand. "Never mind that, how are you?"

The German let out a shaky, unstable laugh. "I've been better. Didn't get much sleep last night because I was so worried. Thanks for that by the way," he chuckled bitterly. "You nearly scared me half to death." I grimaced in apology. The German only shook his head in response. He wasn't blaming me for anything. Although, I did. My rashness was the only cause of my fall. If only I had listened to Arthur and stayed in the house. None if this would have happened if I hadn't been so stubborn. Sure, the Briton's comment was uncalled for, but it wasn't something that I should have gotten mad at him for. A simple punch to the face would have been a sufficient enough method to end our little feud. But no. I just had to go for the dramatic exit. Although, I did have some alcohol in my system at the time. That didn't exactly help with the situation. Mon Dieu. My life was a mess.

Gilbert raised his other hand to cup my cheek. I could tell that he was holding back tears. "Cheya, I'm so sorry. I-I got angry because I was afraid. I was afraid that someone would take you away from me…. I was selfish to think like that. You were never mine in the first place…." Gilbert trailed off when I bent over to peck him on the cheek.

"I'm sorry too. I should have told you about him. You were right. You did deserve to know about something as important as that. But it happened, and it's done with. There's nothing that we can do about it now but move on. The only thing that matters is that you're here with me now."

Gilbert smiled at me through his tears and I likewise. "Ja, I propose that we never talk about it again. It wouldn't be very awesome to think about the bad when we've shared so many good memories together."

I nodded and sighed with relief. "Agreed." I spared Gilbert with a look of concern. He shied under my furrowing gaze. "Did you stay here overnight?" I asked.

Gilbert scoffed. "Of course I did!" I raised my hands in surrender. "Fine, fine, I believe you." We sat in a comfortable silence for another few minutes. Gilbert helped me unwrap the maple flavoured cupcakes that Maddie had given to me. We had just dug into them when Gilbert began to fidget with his hands. He looked very uncomfortable.

I raised a brow at him. "Something bothering you, Gil?"

"Ja, actually. Forgive me for being blunt, but I no longer hold any feelings for you."

"Ouch," I giggled. "Actually, I'm glad to hear you say that," I held up a hand to silence the flabbergasted German. I could tell by the look on his face that he took some offense, albeit it mostly being pretend, to my comment. I peeled open the wrapper to my cupcake. "What I meant to say is that I'm glad that I'm not dragging you around anymore. You deserve much better than that."

Gilbert bit his lip. "Alright, just this once I'll let that comment slide. After all, it isn't every day that the awesome me strikes up a fancy with a girl. Although, lately, it's been happening far too often for my liking." The German picked at his cupcake with trembling fingers. A faint blush formed on his hollowed cheeks.

"Gilbert," I whispered. I attempted to stifle my excitement in vain. "Are you trying to say that you've developed feelings for someone else?" Gilbert's guilty look said it all. I squealed and before I knew it, I had him trapped in another rib-crushing hug. The German squirmed and spluttered under my gasp. Oh. He was choking. I dug an elbow into his shoulder blade. The German bent over to spit mushy chewed up cupcake pieces into a nearby garbage can.

Gilbert's eyes watered, but this time it wasn't from tears. It was from almost choking to death. "Mein Gott, woman," he stammered. "You almost killed me!"

I waved a dismissive hand at the incredulous German. The kid had survived through much worse. A mere cupcake certainly wouldn't be the death of him. "Who is it?" I demanded. The grin on my face only got wider as Gilbert's behaviour shifted from anger to downright flusterment. I already knew who his new crush was. I just wanted to hear him say it out loud. It took the oaf long enough to realize that she had been right there by his side all along.

Gilbert frowned. "Your nosiness never fails to annoy me."

"JUST TELL ME ALREADY!" I snapped. I didn't sound very angry, however. My mouth was currently stuffed with two maple flavoured cupcakes. The German flinched when I dug my nails into his arm. It was the only way that I could get my point across without speaking. I had now stuffed a third cupcake into my mouth. The anticipation was making me nervous.

"OW!" he protested. The German forcefully pried my hand off of his forearm. Gilbert sighed. "Fine, I'll tell you. Just keep your claws to yourself." I pouted. When he was sure that I was declawed for good, Gilbert spoke. "I've been feeling this for quite some time now, but last night was the first time that I truly realized just how much she meant to me," the German and I both chuckled nervously. Cupcake crumbs trickled out of my mouth.

"I remember this one time when we were out dancing. This guy was practically all over her, and all I wanted to do was punch the living daylights out of him. I now understand that it was jealousy I felt on that night. I loved her all this time, Cheya. The possibility of her leaving me was the factor that finally put all these feelings into perspective. God, am I ever stupid. I don't know what I ever did to deserve a girl like her. I've hurt her so many times over. Why she ever put up with me is a mystery that I'll never hope to figure out."

I shook my head. "That's not true. She wouldn't have stuck around so long if she didn't want to." I placed a hand on Gilbert's shoulder. "Now out with it. You'll feel better after you say it out loud."

The German nodded. Puffing up his chest and sitting up straight, Gilbert spoke the words that his heart longed to understand. "I'm in love with Madeleine Williams." he mumbled. I feigned surprise. He couldn't know that I already knew about their feelings for each other. For once, I opted not to interfere with my friends' love life. I wanted the moment that the German and Canadian got together to be spontaneous. It was a moment that would be full of surprises and raw passion. The day that they got together would be memorable. But, hey. I'm getting ahead of myself here. Gilbert still had a long ways to go before that ever happened.

After a moment of me pretending to regain my composure, I grinned. "Good for you Gil, really! Now say it louder!"

Gilbert embraced my encouragement with open arms. "I'M IN LOVE WITH MADELEINE WILI-" the German choked when I stuffed a cupcake into his mouth. "Not that loud," I giggled. The German narrowed his eyes at me. Picking up a cupcake of his own, the German smacked the tasty treat against my cheek. The right side of my face was now covered with light brown frosting. The cupcake dripped off my face and fell onto the bed. "Paybacks' a bitch isn't it?" Gilbert guffawed in between chewing on the cupcake that I had just shoved down his throat.

The German's victory didn't last long. I retaliated by dipping my finger in some frosting. I then smeared it across his upper brow area. Gilbert growled under his breath and before I could even react, he had already smashed a cupcake into my forehead. I winced in pain. Gilbert's eyes widened. "SHIT! Sorry! Are you OK?"

"Y-yeah," I mumbled. "I'll be fine." Gilbert sighed and started to clean up our battle field. The battered bodies of three cupcakes lay on the bed. When Gilbert wasn't looking, I seized the opportunity. Grabbing two more cupcakes, I clapped my hands onto both sides of his head. Gilbert, in turn, received two earfuls full of frosting. It made a satisfying squishing sound. I giggled when I saw a competitive light flare up in his eyes. This is the most animated that I've seen him in months. It was more than a reassuring sight to see.

Right when I was about to have a cupcake shoved into my more than willing mouth, we heard a knock at the door. Gilbert lowered his cupcake weapon. Papa snorted and rested his elbow against the door. The Frenchman cleared his throat. "I see that you guys have made up?"

Gilbert and I mutely nodded our heads. Papa gave us a scolding look. It was like we were both children again. Trouble was the only result whenever the two of us spent time together. "Good. I suggest that you clean up while you can. I'm driving into town to pick up Bella right now, and believe me when I say that she's furious with the both of you."

Gilbert and I both paled at the mention of Bella. Crap. That's right. I promised her that I wouldn't let myself get hurt. Judging by Gilbert's horrified look, he had more than likely promised the Belgian the very same thing.

Papa lost his stormy façade. He ran over to my bedside and pulled me into a hug. I tried my best not to smear any frosting onto his dress shirt. I failed. But I don't think that my Papa was worried about that at the moment. He was too busy fretting over me. I let him redo my hair, while Gilbert awkwardly stood to the side and watched. After repeatedly telling my Papa that I was fine and that I didn't need any more pain medication, the man kissed around the frosting on my cheek, made _yet another_ snide remark about my poor taste in men, and left. Gilbert, of course, promised to watch over me while he was gone. All I could do was sit on my bed with a blank look on my face as I let Gilbert clean my face with a wet wipe. I still couldn't get over what Papa said to me. His words were searing and they brought tears to my eyes.

" _Although I don't necessarily approve of his looks, I can tell that he loves you very much. If you want to date him, I'm giving you my consent. You're old enough to make your own decisions, and as much as I hate doing so, I'm setting you free. It's your life to live. All I can pray for is that you live it well_."

…

Waiting alone in my hospital room, I grew bored. Gilbert had gone downstairs to get me some breakfast from the hospital's cafeteria. The German had left me to my own devices, which at the moment, were little to none. My phone was no where to be found, so I couldn't call anyone and thank them for their gifts. This also meant that I couldn't get in touch with Arthur. And when I had asked Gilbert about the Briton, the only thing that I received was a guilty look. The German clearly wasn't telling me something. Hence, the reason why Gilbert was so quick to leave the room. I scowled to myself. Sneaky bastard.

After waiting for close to half an hour, I became restless. I needed to be anywhere else but here. The mint coloured walls of this room had become my prison. I eventually decided to get up on my own and leave. My IV needle had already fallen out due to my previous cupcake scuffle with Gilbert, so I didn't have to worry about pulling it out myself. I hopped out of bed and straightened out the green hospital night gown that I was wearing. Thankfully, it wasn't one that had an open butt flap.

I swayed a bit when a dizzy spell quickly overcame me. My head pounded ferociously. I grabbed onto the pole of the bed to steady myself. When I regained my bearings, I set out towards the door. Poking my head out into the hallway, I grinned when I saw that the way was clear. After taking a random amount of twists and turns, I found myself in the floor's reception room. I tried to turn back, but the receptionist had already spotted me. "And where do you think you're going, young lady?" he asked in a scolding voice.

I futilely tried to slink back down the hallway. Unfortunately for me, the receptionist wasn't having any of it today. Stern sounding footsteps clambered after me. I was too slow and tired to escape. I had already been winded by my short stroll across this wing of the hospital. A firm hand placed itself on my shoulder and spun me around. I gasped when I recognized the person wearing the standard blue scrubs. It was Tino from that café place that Gilbert, Antonio, and I had gone to at the end of last summer. The Finn's violet eyes also widened in recognition. Tino shed me with a grand smile. "Hey! I remember you. You and your friend performed at my café!"

I meekly nodded my head. "Yup that's me!" I purposefully avoided eye contact with the grinning Finn. "Sorry, but I've got to go now!" I turned around to leave.

Tino grabbed me by the elbow and tugged me back. "Oh no you don't!" he lectured. "A patient in this wing is not allowed to leave their room without an escort," the man's violet eyes bored into mine. "Do you have one?" he inquired.

"Yeah," I lied. "He went to the bathroom up ahead."

Tino narrowed his eyes at me. "The bathroom is back that way." The Finn pointed in the direction that I had initially come from.

"Oh," I mumbled. "Well crap."

"Busted." Tino smirked as he towed me back towards the reception desk. The Finn then grabbed a speaker phone and called for assistance. I scowled and squirmed under Tino's grip, but alas, the Finn didn't let go. He was much stronger than he looked. Not long after, a tall, broad man with blond hair, blue eyes, and square glasses walked into the reception room. I had to look up to meet his stoic and seemingly indifferent gaze. He was actually quite intimidating. I wouldn't try any funny business with him. I would comply like the good little scared as shit patient that I was.

Tino sighed out of relief when he saw that the male nurse had entered the room. "Wh't seems to be the probl'm?" the gruff man asked. I had a hard time understanding the Swede's thickly accented English.

"Oh good. Thank you for coming Berwald. This little miss over here," Tino gave me a stern glare. "left her room without having anyone to escort her around. Can you take her back please?"

Berwald smirked. "S're. Anyt'ing f'r my w'fe."

Tino blushed like a young school girl. "Berwald, not in front of the patients!" the Finn tutted. "And I'm your husband! Not your wife." I sent Tino an all-knowing smirk. Berwald affectionately ruffled Tino's hair as he walked to stand in front of me. I nearly broke my neck looking up at him. I wouldn't be too surprised if I had to wear a neck brace after this. Berwald snorted. "W'fe. H'sb'nd. S'me th'ng to me."

"They most certainly are not the same thing!" After cussing at the chuckling Swede, the disgruntled Finn went back to filing papers behind his desk. Berwald looked down at me. He crouched over in a bent position. I cowered in fear. Suddenly my feet weren't touching the ground. I was thrown over the Swede's shoulders. Tino looked up from his paper work and gave me a smug farewell wave. I reciprocated that gesture by sticking out my tongue at him. I already felt childish enough as it was by allowing myself to be carried back to my room. Not that I had much of a choice over the matter.

I bounced up and down on Berwald's back as he carried me through the maze of the hospital's many corridors. Eventually, he stopped in front of my room and set me down. "D'nt get int' any m're tr'ubl'," he warned. Only when I had promised him that I would behave myself did Berwald leave. Besides, I didn't have to worry about getting myself into trouble. The trouble had already found me. It was currently residing in my hospital room and its name was Bella Peeters. I hovered outside in the hallway and eavesdropped on my friends' heated conversation.

The Belgian's angry screeches ricocheted off the walls. "DID I NOT SAY TO LOOK AFTER HER? FIRST YOU LET HER GET INJURED AND NOW THIS?! WHAT WILL FRANCIS SAY WHEN HE FINDS OUT THAT YOU LOST HIS ONLY DAUGHTER?"

"Ok, for one thing. Stop yelling at me. The entire hospital can hear you. Secondly, if we nab her before Francis finds a parking spot, he doesn't have to know. Thirdly, she's not as helpless as you think. Fourth-"

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'WE'? I'M STAYING HERE JUST IN CASE SHE COMES BACK."

Gilbert groaned. "Mein Gott, Bella. I only left to get her some breakfast. You're acting as if I deserted the girl on her deathbed."

SLAP!

"WHAT WAS THAT FOR?!" Gilbert roared.

"For being a dumbass," the Belgian seethed. "Now where's that Arthur guy? I want to give him a piece of my mind too."

"He's not here."

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'HE'S NOT HERE'? OF COURSE HE IS. ANY _GOOD_ BOYFRIEND WOULD BE THERE FOR HIS GIRLFRIEND AT A TIME LIKE THIS."

Gilbert awkwardly cleared his throat. "I had Francis ask him to leave. He had no business being here after everything that he did." It was at this point that I completely lost it. I didn't care if I was throwing myself right under Bella's angry shitstorm of a bus. I had a German to throttle. And throttle him a did. I stormed into the room and leapt for Gilbert's throat. I reluctantly had to settle for the collar of his shirt.

"YOU BASTARD!" I screamed as I jostled him around. "HOW DARE YOU MAKE A DECISION LIKE THAT BEHIND MY BACK." I felt two holes sear into the side of my face, courtesy of Bella's eyes. I decided to ignore the Belgian's glare for the time being. What a mistake that was.

"IT WASN'T HIS FAULT THAT I FELL. IT WAS MINE! I DECIDED TO LEAVE THE HOUSE. I WAS THE ONE WHO OVERREACTED. HE HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH IT."

Gilbert paled. "O-oh."

All air left my lungs. Blood rushed to my face. I was dripping from head to toe with anger. "OH?! THAT'S ALL YOU HAVE TO SAY?! OH?! YOU'RE DEAD BEILSCHMIDT. YOU HEAR ME? DEAD! YOU'RE JUST LUCKY THAT-AGH!"

Clawed hands dragged me back by the collar of my night gown. The next few minutes were a blur. Bella attacked me. I fell. Gilbert dragged her off of me. He fell. I dragged Bella off of Gilbert. We all fell. Due to the insane amount of noise that we were making, Berwald rushed into the room with a wild look on his face. Our fight was broken up instantaneously. We all had an unspoken, mutual fear of that male nurse. I let go of Bella's hair, and Bella released Gilbert from the chokehold that she had him trapped in. We were then forced into separate corners of the room.

For the next hour or so, the Swede ran a makeshift therapy session for us. Bella promised never to strangle a concussed patient again. Gilbert grudgingly promised to give Arthur a chance. And as for me? I promised Bella that I would wear a helmet whenever I went outdoors (yeah right). I also gave Gilbert permission to murder Arthur should the Briton ever break up with me again. We then hugged it out, ordered pizza, and had a Disney movie marathon for the rest of the afternoon. Papa filmed the entire thing for the sake of 'memories'. He squealed like a hormonal fangirl with each picture that he 'discreetly' snapped of us.

Regardless, I enjoyed hanging out with my friends. I really did. But there was a piece of my heart that ached with an emptiness that had yet to be filled. It was a spot that was reserved only for a certain grumpy Briton. All day, I looked at the door, expecting for him to come. Much to my disappointment, he never came.

 **Hospital Day 2:** December 24th, 9:00 AM

I woke up alone in my hospital room. Papa must have gone out to get his morning coffee. And yesterday, Gilbert had left to go home. After all, the German had a beautiful girl to ask out. And I wasn't about to get in the way of that. Maddie had already waited far too long for Gilbert. Seriously though, I had Papa confiscate my phone for that particular reason. If he hadn't, I would have already called the Canadian by now.

I sat up and stretched. My eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets when I recognized a familiar looking candy bouquet resting on my night side table. "Arthur?" I questioned. I jolted out of bed. "Arthur?" I squeaked. This time I was much louder. Emily must have heard my shouts because she quickly rushed into the room. I bolted for the door. If Emily hadn't been there, I would have faceplanted right onto the ground. Merde. My head still got dizzy in the morning.

Scolding me for being so rash, Emily steered me towards the bed. With a defeated groan and the Icelander's assistance, I sat down on the bed. Emily sat down next to me. "Is Arthur someone close to you?" she cooed. Emily rubbed a hand over my back when I started to sniffle. I nodded. The Icelander simpered. "Oh honey. Don't cry." Emily gave me the hug that I very much needed.

Only when I had calmed down did the Icelander start with the questions. "Does Arthur by any chance have blond hair and green eyes?" It took every ounce of the nurse's strength to hold me down. I was ready to run out the door again. "Shhhhh," Emily soothed as she smoothed a hand over my hair. "He's not here right now. He visited you earlier this morning when you were sleeping. I only let him in because he promised not to wake you up."

I didn't have anything to say to that. I reached over the bed so that I could grab the card resting inside the candy bouquet. My lips trembled when I recognized the Briton's scribbling writing:

 _Hullo, well this is unbearably awkward considering the circumstances, but I know that this has to be said. Saying sorry, I'm afraid, just doesn't cut it nor does it describe any of what I'm feeling right now. If you like, after the craziness of the holidays pass, I would very much like to meet up with you. You're also welcome to call me if you want to talk. Anytime really, I don't mind. I just wanted to say that I love you and that I'm praying that you get better. I hope that you can forgive me for being so distant. Your father gave me permission to visit you, but I wanted to come at a time where I was sure that I wouldn't create any more problems. Lord knows how many of those that I've caused as of late. I miss you Cheya. I miss your dumb jokes. Your smile. Your wit. I miss every damned thing about you… Call me if you get the chance, alright? Oh, and do try to take it easy on all the candy that I just spoiled you with. You're in an building where they can actually measure your blood sugar. I believe that an intervention is long overdue..._

 _With Love,_

 _Browzilla_

 _(P.S this is the one and only time that I will ever refer to myself with that horrid nickname.)_

I rubbed my eyes. Only Arthur could make me want to laugh and cry at the same time. "He's such an idiot," I whimpered. By reading this letter I could tell that Arthur was in an immense amount of pain. I reciprocated everything that he was feeling. He was my other half, so I in turn, hurt just as badly as he did.

* * *

 **Lovina's POV:** (December 24rd, 3:00 PM)

Flitting around the kitchen, Lovina busied herself with making a soup for her sorella. The dumb bitch had gotten herself sick. This wouldn't have happened if she hadn't canoodled with that perverted potato. The Italian scowled at the thought of the younger German. It was his fault that her sorella was sick. And it was his fault that Feli would be sick on Christmas day. But not if Lovina could help it. Lovina was determined to help her sorella get better. It was disheartening to have the house be so quiet. Nonno was out managing their family restaurant, so at least she didn't have to hear the echoes of his pathetic sobs. The old fuck really cared about Feli, and whenever she got sick, a small part of him died with her. Nonno spent every spare minute that he could with Feli, and Lovina was getting tired of hearing him wail about how she had lost weight, and how he couldn't bear to see his precious little piccolo slowly wither away by the day.

Whenever Lovina got sick, however, Nonno would never coddle her. The man knew to keep his distance. Rather than spoiling her with attention, Nonno spoiled Lovina with movies. The old fuck would rent several of them for her. Most of them being horror, of course. Although, he never gave them to her in person. He usually just slipped them under the crack of her bedroom door. Everyone in the house knew that Lovina was not a very pleasant person to be around when sick. Or just in general. Either way.

Speaking of health, the Italian sent up another quick prayer for that dumb wine bitch. Lovina shuddered at the image of Cheya lying in her hospital bed, gruesomely pale in appearance and hardly responsive at all. To be fair, she had been sleeping, but it was quite unnerving to see someone who had been so eccentric and lively be reduced to such a weak and helpless state. It hadn't been a very pleasant sight to see.

Lovina sighed and started to chop up some carrots. The Italian nearly took a good chunk out of her pinky finger when she heard the front door of the house open only to have it slam shut quite violently. A fierce wind rattled against the kitchen window. A nasty snow storm was brewing outside. "Nonno?" Lovina called. Huh. That was weird. Typically, the restaurant was really busy on Christmas Eve. It was odd that he had come home so early.

The person who Lovina presumed to be her Nonno hung up their coat in the front closet and walked into the kitchen. The Italian had her back turned to the shivering Spaniard. She was busy stirring the broth of the soup. Without warning, the Spaniard wrapped his arms around her waist. The Italian's hand tightened around the soup ladle. Lovina relaxed when she realized that it was only her moronic boyfriend standing behind her. "Hmmmm," the Spaniard sighed as he let his chin fall onto her shoulder. "It's nice and warm in here."

Lovina leaned into his touch while also pretending to ignore him. If that was even possible. The Spaniard's cheeks were cold against the skin of her neck. Lovina placed her palm over his hand. Just as she expected. Freezing to the touch. "Tch. How long were you outside, bastard?" she growled.

"Too long," he hummed. Lovina rolled her eyes. He was still clinging onto her like the needy bastard that he was. Ever since they had had their first fight, he had become much more attached to her, both emotionally and physically. Antonio kept her close and Lovina secretly liked it, albeit her vehement refusals and protests to his recent koala-like tendencies. Lovina stirred the soup in a relaxed silence. "Cheya was released from the hospital this afternoon."

"That's good," Lovina huffed. "A concussion wouldn't be able to take down that bitch anyways." Antonio clicked his tongue at her. The Italian only giggled in response. Her vulgarity never failed to keep him on his toes.

"So how's Feli?"

Lovina sighed. "She's been bed-ridden for three days straight now."

The Spaniard simpered. "Pity." Antonio unwrapped his arms from her waist and pulled away. The Italian let the ladle fall into the soup with a splash. Frowning, Lovina turned around to see what he was doing. The Spaniard's eyes darkened with a mischievous light. Lovina brows furrowed in confusion. The next thirty seconds went by in a blur. With a surprised yelp, Lovina found herself thrown over the cackling Spaniard's shoulders. Lovina tugged on his ear. "WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!" she screeched.

Pretending that her breaking his eardrum didn't faze him, the Spaniard stifled his grimace. "I'm helping you relax," he cooed. The Spaniard jogged into the living room and threw the writhing Italian onto a nearby couch. Knowing that he had only mere seconds before she leapt for his throat, Antonio grabbed a blanket from a basket under the coffee table. He was quick to wrap his angry Italian girlfriend in a blanket burrito after that.

Pouting, Lovina found herself unable to move her arms. What's more, Antonio sat next to her on the couch. The Italian glared up at the Spaniard. "What are you waiting for, bastard?" The Spaniard grinned. Unwrapping the blanket, and thanking the Gods that she didn't move to attack him, Antonio dove under the covers with her. The Spaniard kissed the top of the fuming Italian's head, wrapping his arm around her waist as he did so. "Do you feel better now~?" he sang.

"NO. I'm comfy. That's all. And why are you here anyways? Doesn't your family have dinner on Christmas Eve?" she grumbled.

Antonio shook his head. "They're too busy with their own restaurant. I'm guessing that your grandfather is doing the same?"

Lovina woefully nodded her head. "We have dinner on Christmas day instead. Uh…if you want… you're welcome to come."

Antonio fondly beamed down at her. Lovina blushed under his gaze. "I'd love to." Lovina cupped her hand around the Spaniard's cheek. Shivering at her touch, Antonio bent down to meet her lips. The kiss was sweet and gentle. Lovina pulled away and rested her head against the crook of his neck. She grudgingly let him play with her hair. "I still have to look after the soup. It's going to burn if I don't-"

The Spaniard shushed her. "Shhh. I'll get up to stir it. All you have to do is sit here and look pretty."

Lovina scoffed. "Well that's an impossible standard to live up to."

Antonio rolled his eyes. "Shut-up," he growled. The Spaniard grabbed onto the Italian's chin with his thumb. Lovina bashfully looked up to meet the pair of smoldering green eyes that were currently glaring down at her. "You're beautiful Lovina. Don't you dare think otherwise."

Lovina puckered her lips into a half-hearted frown. "Fucking bastard. What gives you the right to make me love you so much?" Antonio chuckled at this comment. The Italian was the one to kiss the Spaniard this time. Lovina ran her hands through his thick chocolate curls. Everything about him drove her crazy. His smile. Oh God. His smile. It was so fucking attractive. She would practically melt at the sight of it. But what she loved even more about him was his smirk. That cocky attitude that suddenly overcame him whenever they were alone like this.

Antonio snarled in between their kisses. They were now becoming fiercer. More passionate. It was a fight for dominance. But Lovina was only toying with him. She would always let him win regardless. She enjoyed to dance along the edges of his dark side. Provoking him was what she did best, after all.

Suddenly, his hands were on his waist. Lovina moaned as she let him pull her into his lap. The Italian was now straddling him. "Fuck, Antonio, yes," she gasped when the Spaniard took to kissing the sensitive spot that he knew all too well on her neck. Lovina reciprocated the favour when she grinded against his hips.

A low hiss escaped from Antonio's mouth. "Lovi, if you keep doing that I won't be able to stop myself," he warned.

Just to piss him off, Lovina grinded against his hips again. She was toying with his self-control. Antonio grunted. "Don't say that I didn't warn you." The Spaniard reached into the Italian's shorts and rubbed. Lovina mewled with pleasure. "A-antonio, w-ha-" the Italian gasped through clenched teeth. "N-not here, you b-bastard."

"Sorella?" Lovina hopped off of Antonio in a blur. Their heads nearly collided with each other as they scrambled to get into a less promiscuous position. Both of them sat awkwardly on the couch with their backs standing up straighter than ever before. Antonio hesitantly draped an arm around Lovina's shoulders when Feli poked her head over the upstairs railing. Lovina reciprocated the favour by placing a couch pillow over his crotch.

The sickly Italian twin looked down into the living room. Her shoulders hunched under the weight of the blanket that she had wrapped around her frail body. The poor girl was shivering. Antonio let out a shaky sigh of relief. Whew. That was a close one. Lovina, on the other hand, was livid with anger. "Feli," Lovina said in a low voice. "Why are you out of bed? Didn't I tell you to _stay put_?"

Feli's doe-like eyes widened with fear. "I-I smelt food. I w-wanted to see what was going on….I'm feeling better now. Y-you don't have to worry about me anymore, r-really." Feli trailed off when Lovina stood up from the couch.

Feli swallowed. "S-orella?"

Lovina bared her lips into a snarl. "RUN."

And run Feli did.

* * *

 **Thanks to:** Zeldalover97, fandita-lp, and Efficient for reviewing last chapter.

I think that I've dragged out Maddie's and Gilbert's romance long enough. **THEY ARE GETTING TOGETHER NEXT CHAPTER** **:D** As to how, well, I guess that you'll just have to wait to find out ;)


	33. You Dammed Loonatic!

**A/N:** I really hope that you enjoy this chapter. I fought through my first ever bout of writer's block to complete it! I also added in another chapter. I'm giving Prucan, Amebel, and Gerita more time. In my initial draft, this story was supposed to end next chapter. But, I'd rather not rush to conclude things, you know?

 **Unnecessary Fact of the Day** : This chapter includes a skating canal. In Ottawa, we just casually refer to it as the 'canal' rather than the 'rideau canal.' Getting beaver tails on the canal is like a ritual here.

I was a nervous wreck whilst writing this, so it'd be nice if you could let me know that I didn't fail miserably at it. Or you can tell me that I did horrible. Anything is appreciated really :p

* * *

 **You Dammed Loonatic!:**

 **Gilbert's POV:** (December 25th, Noon)

It was Christmas Day. Noon to be exact. And Gilbert was sure to be yelled at the minute that he came home. He was still banned from using the truck, but once his Opa found out about what he planned to do today, surely he wouldn't mind… as much. As for Ludwig, well, Gilbert assumed that he would be able to man cleaning up the garbage dump of gift wrap, ribbons, and envelopes himself. If it were up to the freak, Christmas would merely consist of gift cards and awkward, manly handshakes. Gilbert shook his head. He had much more important things to focus on rather than his brother's practical and less messy utopic Christmas dream.

And so, this brings Gilbert to where he is now. Driving over to a certain Canadian's house. Hardly any words were exchanged between them over the last day or so. Gilbert had sent Maddie a cheesy "Merry Christmas" text to which she had merely replied with an even cornier "You too." This caused the German's stomach to lurch with a sense of unease. He knew that he had fucked up, and royally at that, but it was only until recently that he had realized just how much of an ass he was to her. He had used her, yes, but he had also strung her along. And perhaps, that was the most painful part of it all. He was a hypocrite. He had done to Maddie exactly what Cheya had done to him. But that was all in the past now. The German had gotten over himself. His egotism had finally come to bite him right in his entitled ass, and now he had no one to show for it.

He would only be deceiving himself if he said that he didn't have any feelings for Maddie. It was _obvious_ that she had feelings for him, and it was _obvious_ that he had feelings for her. How many times had she cried for him? Consoled him? Comforted him? Made him feel human again? Shared the burdens that he carried around day to day? Gilbert knew that the answers to these questions were infinite. Maddie had always put him first, and he had never given her the light of day. Or at least, not consciously. It was all so clear to him now.

Why else would he have gotten so angry when that waiter gave her his phone number? Or when that boy at the bowling alley asked her to dance with him? It was all plain as day. He loved her. She had always been there for him, and it had only taken her leaving for him to realize just how much that he truly cared for her. Gilbert was empty without Maddie. She was his other half, and ironically enough, he simply hadn't noticed it. He may have been an idiot who didn't deserve her affection, but in his heart, the German knew that he had to do something. It was near impossible to compensate for his selfish behaviour, but Gilbert was brought up better than to ignore his mistakes. And today, he planned to fix them.

Walking up to the door of the Jones'-Williams' residence, Gilbert hesitated. His fist was raised to knock on the door, but he hadn't followed through with this action quite yet. What was he even here for? The German had come to the Canadian's house on an impulse. An impulse that took a whole forty-five minutes of driving. Regardless, there was no rational explanation for him being there other than that of his own recklessness. The only thing that he did know, however, was that he was going to apologize to the Canadian. And perhaps, if things took a turn for the better, the German would confess his love for her.

Gilbert clenched his fists. If Maddie hadn't been such a pessimistic romantic, he wouldn't have hesitated to buy her cheesy, impersonal things like flowers and chocolate. But simple presents like those would hardly make up for what he had done to her. He had used the Canadian in the sense that she was effective in easing his worries. She had helped him cope with his unrequited feelings for Cheya. And oddly enough, Gilbert had been too ignorant to realize that this distraction of his may have had another side to it. Undoubtedly, he had loved the French. That was undeniable. But sometime, in the mix of all things, Gilbert had played with the idea of love. He was in love with the idea of staying in love. His feelings, messed up as they already were, became jumbled the moment that he met Maddie.

He remembered reaching out to touch her soft, blonde ringlets. He remembered blushing whenever she would smile and show off those adorable, pointed dimples on her bashfully flushed cheeks. But most important of all, Gilbert remembered wanting to spend time with the Canadian. Their lessons was merely his excuse to get closer to her. His confession to Cheya, and the impatience that came along with it, was solely the result of pent up nerves, frustration, and confusion. His feelings for Cheya evoked a sense of familiarity and comfort that could only be the result of a close friendship. Whereas, his feelings for Maddie evoked something much different. Gilbert felt giddy whenever he was around her. But more than that he also felt calm. Placated. It was as if he had fit in with her from the very start. He craved her company more than anything else in the world.

And this is why Gilbert finally mustered up the courage to knock on her front door. The thundering of heavy footsteps could be heard. The door quickly burst open and a more than excited Alfred poked out his head into the world of white, pun regrettably intended. His cerulean blue eyes were as wide as saucers. He looked exactly how any child would look on Christmas day; excited and antsy. The American had stayed true to his vibrant, obnoxious character by wearing a douche, correction, _adult_ sized santa clause onesie. Gilbert pitied anyone who had been forced to sit on that man-child's lap. Chances were that that very person would be Natalia. In that case, Gilbert pitied Alfred.

"MERRY CHRISTMAS!" Alfred beamed. Gilbert's ears popped from the sheer loudness of the dummkoph standing before him.

The American's eyes narrowed into a shrewd looking scowl when he realized that it was merely Gilbert standing on his front step and not some happy go luck caroller. "SORRY! NO SOLICITING!" Alfred moved to close the front door, but the German quickly stuck out his foot. Alfred paused when he saw Gilbert's livid expression. The German was determined to see his plan through.

A wry smirk crept onto Alfred's face. Crossing his arms, the American sneered at the equally seething German. "What do you want, Beilschmidt?" he scowled.

Gilbert nodded his head in acknowledgment. He discreetly tried to look past the American's shoulder. Gilbert was disappointed when he found that his search had come up empty. Maddie was nowhere to be seen. "Jones, how _lovely_ it is to see you again. But alas, I am sorry to say that I didn't come here to tickle your massive ego. I came here to speak to Maddie."

"If that's alright with _you_." Gilbert mockingly added in that last part. He honestly didn't give a shit about what the American wanted. He was going to speak to Maddie. No if's, and's or but's.

Alfred huffed in response to the German's challenge. "Well, when you put it so nicely… no!" he cackled.

"ALFRED! STOP BEING AN ASS AND JUST TELL HIM WHERE SHE IS ALREADY!"

Natalia's voice screeched from somewhere deep inside the house. Alfred facepalmed. Gilbert stifled a snicker. The Belarusian was merciless in her attempt to rip right through her boyfriend's ' _concerned, insane, and ever protective_ ' older brother charade. It goes to say that she succeeded. Quite well, in fact.

The German raised a questioning brow. If Maddie wasn't at her house, then where could she possibly be?

"Cat's out of the bag, huh?" the American chuckled weakly. His entire aura had been depleted of its residual douchy extravagance. The German took a step back when he recognized what he thought to be worry on the American's face. Alfred's eyes were sad and tired. His cheery nature was merely a façade. The German felt a sick sense of unease twist up in his stomach. He didn't have a good feeling about this.

Gilbert deadpanned. "Look, Alfred, I don't have time for this right now. So if you could _please_ just tell me where Maddie is it would be greatly appreciated." The German averted his gaze to the ground. He was trying not to swallow his own tongue. _As if_ he had just said _please_ to Alfred Jones of all people. Someone. Anyone. Punch him right now. He'd accept it with an open face.

"She went to the canal," Alfred answered. "….about half-an hour ago. I…uh… have a pair of skates if you would like to use them," he offered. The American was clearly biting down on his pride. His eyes twitched and it was obvious that he was making an effort not to snap at the German. With a sour expression, Alfred chewed on his lip. Gilbert appreciated his attempts to be civilized. He could tell that he was only doing this for the sake of his sister, and the German could respect that.

"Danke Alfred! That'd be awesome!" Gilbert forced a smile onto his face. Alfred also shed him with a painful looking smile. It was clear that they both wanted to rip out each other's throats. The only thing that held them back, however, was a sweet, kind girl who cared way too much about the others around her. This, of course, didn't help to alleviate the awkward tension that had now fallen between them.

Alfred reached behind the door and picked up a pair of skates that was resting on a nearby shoe bench. The American then held out the pair of skates for the German to take. Gilbert reached out to grab the skates, but with a sly grin, Alfred tugged them back. "That'll be fifty bucks!" he beamed.

Gilbert glowered. "Excuse me?" he said without any hint of emotion in his voice.

"YOU HEARD ME! FIFTY BUCKS OR I WALK! YOUR CHOICE, ASSHOLE~! IF YOU REALLY WANT TO SEE MY SISTER THAT BAD THEN YOU BETTER PAY UP!"

The German, smugly thinking that he could weasel his way out of any situation, attempted to bargain with the stiff American. But little did he know that Alfred was just as stubborn as he was. And after ten minutes of trying and failing miserably to get Alfred to lessen up on his price, Gilbert relented. There was absolutely no reasoning with this guy. Unfortunately, Gilbert's options were very limited. They didn't let anyone onto the canal without a pair of skates, and since most stores were closed for the holiday, the German had no other choice but to suffice with renting out his arch nemesis' skates.

Cursing to himself, Gilbert reached into his jacket and pulled out his wallet. He counted exactly ten five dollar bills. He then proceeded to hand them over to the American one by one. It was an agonizingly slow process. Alfred had the nerve to recount them as he did so. "Merry Christmas." The German mumbled with thick sarcasm. Oh. Was he ever bitter. He would definitely get back at the American for this greedy little stunt of his.

Alfred licked his finger as he ran through the wad of bills one last time. "Perfect!" he grinned. Gilbert didn't have much to say to the American. After giving Alfred a wretchedly polite farewell through clenched teeth, the German turned on his heels and stomped off to his truck.

"HEY GILBERT?" Alfred called out.

"WHAT?!" Gilbert snapped back. With an irritated grunt, the German carelessly chucked the American's skates into the back seat of his truck.

Alfred's nails dug into the soft flesh of his palms. He couldn't believe it. He was _actually_ going to invite that douche back into _his_ house.

"WE'RE, UH, HAVING TAKE OUT TONIGHT AND ORDERING A FEW MOVIES. YOU'RE, UH, WELCOME TO COME IF YOU WANT..."

A look of confusion crossed over the German's face. "Sure…?"

"COOL! UH, SEE YOU LATER, UH, BRO?"

"Ja….see you later...?"

"OH AND GILBERT?"

"HMM?"

Alfred ran a hand through his dishevelled wheat hair. He was currently displaying the symptoms of a distraught parent suffering from a raging case of empty nest syndrome. "TREAT HER RIGHT. AND, UH, WEAR PROTECTION! ACTUALLY NO. I TAKE THAT BACK! I FORBID YOU FROM HAVING SEX WITH HER," the American squeaked at the thought of his sister doing the unthinkable.

"UM…AT LEAST NOT UNTIL YOU TWO ARE MARRIED. HAHAHA!" Alfred burst out laughing for no apparent reason. Gilbert rolled his eyes. What a nut job. "UH…JUST DON'T FUCK UP AGAIN AND WE WON'T HAVE A PROBLEM, ALRIGHT?

Gilbert groaned.

Things could only get more awkward from here.

* * *

 **Alfred's POV:**

Alfred watched the German's truck pull out of his driveway with unamused eyes. "It's about time, you damn moron! Maddie could really use someone. Even if it's a narcissistic asshole like you."

"My baby sister is finally growing up" …. _sniffle_ …. _stifled sob_ … _manly tears_.

The Belarusian walked up to the American and hugged him from behind. She let her chin fall onto his shoulder. "You're such a softie," she chuckled. Alfred leaned into her touch. Silent, but ever heroic, tears streamed down his face.

"I-I'm not crying!" he blubbered. "My eyes are just happy for my sister!"

Natalia rolled her eyes. "Of course they are. But," she cooed. "My lips are also very happy to do this," the Belarusian smiled as she pecked the American on cheek. The taste of salt lingered on her lips. After wiping his face clear of tears, Natalia closed the front door and led him inside.

The rest of their afternoon was spent watching corny romance movies. Alfred lay cuddled up to her side like the giant baby that he was. His head rested on her lap, and Natalia comforted him by gently running her hands through his hair. A furious pout stayed on his face the entire time. In one hand, the American held onto a picture of his sister when she was younger. And in the other, he cradled a massive bowl of popcorn to his chest.

While the American blubbered and sobbed to the Belarusian about how he had failed to protect his sister's innocence, the Briton stepped into the living room, took one look at the absolutely pathetic state of his younger cousin, rolled his eyes, and then proceeded to dip the fuck out of there.

Arthur walked into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of whiskey.

He had a long day ahead of him, after all.

* * *

 **Gilbert's POV:**

Ok. So there was one fault to his awesome plan. Gilbert couldn't skate that well. He couldn't skate at all, actually. He hadn't skated since he was five years old, and his lack of skills on the ice was evident to everyone around him. Placing his gloved hands over the metal ridgeway that lined the canal, Gilbert held on for dear life. His knees wobbled as he attempted to get the hang of the gliding motion. Huffing and puffing out short, determined clouds of breath, the German let go of the railing. He glided to the right. He glided to the left. Gilbert's eyes widened. He lost his balance. Cue him falling unawesomely on his ass. Two ten-year-old dweebs carrying hockey sticks stifled their snickers as they effortless skated past the doubled over German. As if his pride wasn't wounded enough!

Crawling back over to the metal railing, and looking like a flopping otter in the process, Gilbert pulled himself to his feet. This was day proving to become increasingly difficult. Although, he supposed that he deserved it. Divine retribution for thinking of himself as a king. Fair enough. An elderly woman clutching onto a skating trainer glided into Gilbert's line of sight. The German let out an annoyed tsking sound. As if he would ever resort to using such an unawesome object! And so, stubborn in his will, Gilbert pushed himself onto the ice once more. And…. cue him gracelessly faceplanting onto the ground. He was all legs. He didn't have any coordination whatsoever.

Childish giggles echoed in his ears. Gilbert sat up and looked into the ogling amber eyes of a toothless little girl. She couldn't have been more than nine years old, and yet she glided around the German in lazy, teasing circles. She had brown hair, which was tied into a pony tail with a bushy, red scrunchie. Brushing her hair out of her eyes, the little girl skidded to a stop. "Good day!" she beamed. She spoke in an accent that Gilbert couldn't quite place. Australian perhaps?

"Hello," Gilbert mumbled. The German was stuck in place. He couldn't just crawl over to the metal railing again. That would be down right embarrassing. And so, he pretended to tie up the laces of his skates.

The little girl's abnormally thick eyebrows furrowed into a frown. The band-aid on her forehead scrunched up right along with it. "Would you like some help?" she asked.

"No, thank you. I can tie up my skates just fine," the German smiled at the girl, when in reality all he wanted to do was scream out in frustration. He couldn't exactly just tell her to bugger off. That would be unfathomably rude.

The little girl cupped an equally tiny hand around her mouth and giggled. "No, silly! What I meant to say was: do you want something to help you skate?"

Gilbert raised a skeptical brow. He decided to humour her. "Oh? And what exactly would that be?"

The little girl pointed towards the two boys who were playing hockey nearby. "My friends and I have a spare hockey stick. For the right price, I'm sure that we can let you off with it."

The German deadpanned. "How much?"

"Fifty bucks!" she beamed.

Gilbert's jaw hit the ground. This pint sized girl was attempting to hustle his wallet clean. "I'll give you twenty," he affirmed in a stern ' _I'm the adult here so don't you dare fuck with_ me' voice. Band-Aid girl clearly didn't get the memo.

Said little girl turned around and began to skate away. The German cursed to himself. It's official. He had now hit an all time low in his life. He was about to grovel at the feet of some bratty little punk.

"Sorry mister. I only do business with those who deserve my time," she smugly called over her shoulder.

Gilbert groaned. "Wait!" he called out. "I'll buy the damn hockey stick!"

A sly grin crept onto the little girl's face. She skated over to her friends, and after a brief moment of deliberation, one in which they had huddled up for like the little thug hobbits that they were, she glided back over to Gilbert. She shed him with another toothy grin. Gilbert would have found it to be adorable if she hadn't been robbing him of his money… and just about every ounce of pride that he had left.

"Ooops! Sorry," she giggled unapologetically. "I meant sixty bucks!"

"NEIN!"

"Make than seventy!"

Cue an explosion of protests on the German's part.

"EIGHTY!"

"FINE! FOR GOD'S SAKE JUST GIVE IT TO ME!"

 _Nice one Gilbert. You just blew off $100 all because you didn't want to embarrass yourself by renting out a_ free _skating trainer._

 _You truly out did yourself this time. Really._

 _Congratulations! You just made a fucking fool out of yourself._

* * *

 **Maddie's POV:** (Four PM)

Gliding around the ice in an absent manner, Maddie ignored the persistent buzzes that went off in her front jean pocket. For some reason Gilbert kept asking her where she was, and honestly, she couldn't be bothered to speak to him. She had come out here to clear her head. And the last thing that she needed right now was to get herself wrapped up in his problems again. She was better off distancing himself from him. It hurt her way too much to stand by his side. Her feelings would never change, but she knew in her heart that what she was doing was for the best. Perhaps not for him. But for her, it provided an outcome that proved to cause the least amount of pain.

Unfortunately for the Canadian, her day hadn't been filled with that much happiness. She had worried Alfred and Natalia by leaving the house in the first place. Her poor brother had begged and pleaded for her to stay and watch a Christmas movie marathon with them, but Maddie desperately needed some time for herself. She knew that it would have been far more appropriate to spend time with her family on this joyful day, but after opening presents, and sharing hugs, the Canadian felt lonelier than she had ever felt before. She needed to get away. From everything. And when she was on the ice she didn't have to think. She lived and moved, but she certainly wasn't breathing.

In fact, Maddie felt as if she was drowning. Panic and guilt swelled up in her chest. It was beginning to get dark, which meant that more couples were out and about on the canal. Couples skated past the Canadian, holding hands and smiling with looks of peace and ease on their rosy faces. The only thing that Maddie had to hold onto, however, was a soggy maple-flavoured beaver tail. She supposed that the Cuban beaver tail vender, Raoul, would have been happy to join her, but Maddie didn't reciprocate any of his romantic sentiments. It wouldn't have been fair of her to drag him along. She knew what being used felt like. The effects of which were downright devastating.

The Canadian's vision blurred. The bright Christmas lights strung up along the rim of the canal streaked her sight. She wobbled and skidded to a stop. Cussing to herself out of anger, Maddie threw her beaver tail to the ground. Five glides later, the Canadian turned around, skated back towards the now trampled pastry treat, picked it up, and thereby proceeded to throw into a nearby garbage can. Even when frustrated, she didn't want to be a bother to others.

" _MADDIE!"_

 _"MADDIE_!"

Maddie skated off. She faltered when she heard someone calling her name. Shaking if off, the Canadian continued to glide forward. "OH FOR THE LOVE OF GOD! PANCAKE!" Nope. Someone was actually calling after her. They even knew her nickname too. The familiar voice calling after her, however, caused Maddie to freeze with apprehension. The Canadian skidded to a stop and turned around. The sight that she saw next would never fail to make her laugh whenever she looked back on this moment. But as of now she was _very_ angry. And rightfully so.

Leaning heavily on a hockey stick, a stick that was much too small for his size, Gilbert skated/ stumbled towards where the Canadian was standing. Maddie rolled her eyes. Natalia must have pressured Alfred into telling Gilbert where she was. This would explain why the German had texted her non-stop all day. With a loathsome sigh, Maddie skated over to Gilbert. It was a miracle in itself that he had managed to get around like this. With that poor form, he could have easily cracked open his head by now. _Dumbass._

Gilbert too shakily skidded to a stop. He doubled over to catch his breath. Placing gloved hands on his thighs, the German wheezed. Maddie gave him a questioning look. "You alright there, Gilbert?" she asked. Despite the fact that she was still mad at him for basically everything, that didn't mean that she didn't feel any concern from him. The German's face was paler the usual, and judging by the wetness of his pants, he had fallen to the ground multiple times. Maddie secretly took up a small ounce of pleasure in knowing that.

The German looked up at the Canadian. A wild, crazy smirk played onto his face. Maddie blushed indefinitely. Gilbert's crimson eyes softened at the sight. "Nope! I've been ripped off too many times to count, I cracked my pelvic bone, and I think that I just coughed up a lung, but I found you and that's all that matters!" he cackled. Perhaps even a bit insanely.

Maddie averted her gaze to the ground. "Well, if you came here to apologize. Save it. I've already forgiven you."

 _Although I can't say that I've gotten over it…._

Gilbert, after much noted struggle, eventually brought himself to a stand. The hockey stick cracked under his supported weight. "That's not the only thing that I came here to do," he huffed.

"Oh? Why else are you here then?"

With a dead serious expression on his face, Gilbert spoke the words that Maddie had longed to hear him say for so long now. Of course, the idiot just _had_ to be outright blunt with it. "I came to confess my love for you." The Canadian's entire world stopped. A strangled, choking sound escaped from her lips. The chatter and giddy laughter of nearby skaters fell deaf on her ears. The only thing that she was able to focus on was the deep crimson jewels that burned straight into that of her own.

Maddie's breathing became unstable. Her heart swelled and hammered against her rib cage. She was overwhelmed. She was overwhelmed by the sheer amount of honesty in the German's words. Just one look at him told her that he _was_ telling the truth. But Maddie let her doubtful, mistrusting nature get the best of her. She was skeptical. This moment, as painstakingly wonderful as it was, was _far_ too good to be true.

"T-tell me you're joking," she stuttered.

Gilbert shook his head. "I promised myself that I wouldn't lie to you any more. I'm afraid that this isn't a joke." Maddie didn't notice that the German had glided over to her. She was frozen and numb to everything. Gently cupping her face with gloved hands, the German leaned his forehead against the Canadian's. He was warm. Breathing through short, shaky breaths, Maddie closed her eyes. Her lips trembled. She was on the verge of tears. This must have been a dream. This couldn't be real…

The German stroked his thumb across her cheek. "Maddie, look at me." The Canadian complied and opened her disbelieving violet eyes.

"I'm sorry. For everything. For treating you like you were expendable. For ignoring you as if you never mattered. Because you do matter to me. You always have. You were there for me when I needed you most, and if you give me permission to do so, I would be honoured to return the favor. I love you Madeleine Williams. I've loved you ever since the moment that I first laid my eyes on you.

"I was stupid, ignorant, and just a downright asshole to you. I was confused. I let my anger and frustration get the best of me, and I'm so terribly sorry that you were caught up in the crossfire…If you don't feel the same way, I'll understand. But I need to get this off of my chest. I've been holding this in for so long now that I feel like I'm going to burst…."

Tears streaked down Gilbert's pale cheeks. Maddie took off her mittens to wipe at them. The Canadian choked back a sob as she nodded her head and urged for him to continue. At the moment, she wasn't quite able to speak. A huge lump formed in her throat. But oddly enough, it felt right. This whole moment felt right. She was soaring above and beyond her wildest desires. The German and Canadian were finally opening up to each other. And God did it ever feel good.

"I love everything about you. I love your stubbornness. I adore your compassion for others. I'm jealous of your appetite, and I would be lying to myself if I said that I beat you in that pancake eating competition. I love your spunk. Your wittiness. Your passive aggressive insults that to this day I'll never hope to decipher the meaning from…"

Gilbert paused when they both cracked up with a bout of trembling laughter. The German pulled away and placed a chaste kiss against onto the Canadian's forehead.

"I'm absolutely smitten with you, Madeleine. Do you think that you could have it in your heart to forgive me?"

A whole bunch of emotions raged through the Canadian's head. Elation. Sadness upon recognizing the heartbroken look on Gilbert's face. Hope. Hope for the future. But most of all she felt anger. Maddie's fist twitched. How _dare_ he ask for her forgiveness when he _knew_ that she had _already_ forgiven him? That idiot! He was totally ruining the moment. Maddie's fist moved on its own. She couldn't hope, nor did she want to stop it.

PUNCH!

Gilbert's head flung to the right. The Canadian had struck him hard and good. "MEIN GOTT MADDIE!" he cried out in pain. "If you didn't like me that way you could have just said so!" The German clutched at his sore and now bruising cheek.

"NO! LISTEN TO ME FOR ONCE IN YOUR LIFE! I'M NOT DONE WITH YOU JUST YET!" Maddie screeched at the top of her lungs. Her voice cracked, but she willed herself to carry on. The Canadian started to pound her fists against the stunned German's chest. He was too shocked to feel anything.

"Gilbert Beilschmidt, I love and hate just about everything about you. I hate your recklessness. I despise the fact that you make me worry about you all the time. And don't even get me started on that damned cocky smirk of yours because I hate that too!

"But there's a kind, warm side to you that I've hopelessly fallen in love with. No matter how much I protest to it, my thoughts will always fall back to you. You're a psychotic, egotistical piece of shit, but you're _my_ psychotic, egotistical piece of shit. So, to answer your question: Yes. I do it have it in my heart to forgive you."

Gilbert's smile stretched farther than length of the very canal that they were standing on. "Does that mean that this psychotic, egotistical piece of shit has permission to kiss you?"

The Canadian smirked. "It's about damn time that you asked me that." Maddie silenced the German, and thereby answered his question when she wrapped her arms around his neck. The Canadian pulled the German into a kiss. With a loud clatter, Gilbert's hockey stick fell to the ground. Both of them were oblivious to this. They were too busy treading upon their own bliss to realize both the ogling and disgusted glares that they received.

Gilbert placed a hand at the back of Maddie's head. He filled his fist with a handful of scrunched up blonde ringlets. The Canadian also took to running her hands through the German's pale mane. It was messy, and a bit sweaty, but this only added to the heat of the moment. Gilbert moaned when Maddie sucked on his lower lip. The Canadian parted her lips, and the German took this opportunity to slip his tongue into her mouth. They teased and tasted every single bit of each other. Maddie tasted hints of coffee on his saliva and Gilbert experienced the sweetness of something that wasn't quite maple syrup but it tasted very much like it.

They held and kissed each other until they couldn't' breathe, and even then they couldn't bear to stop. It was as if they were afraid that if they let go, that the other would run away and never come back. Their kisses became fiercer. More passionate. The tempo increased and Gilbert's hands snaked down to cup her waist. The heat of their panting breaths were hot on their faces. And then the unthinkable happened.

Gilbert lost his balance, tripped and fell. He no longer had the hockey stick to support him. And Maddie came crashing down right along with him. The Canadian lay on top of the German, who probably had a massive bump forming at the back of his head right about now. Gilbert laughed. Maddie almost cried out of relief upon hearing it. She hadn't heard him sound this genuinely happy in a long time. It made her very, _very_ happy.

The German pouted. "No fair! I'm the guy! I'm the one who's supposed to be on top."

"Ja?" Maddie mocked. "Well too fucking bad!"

The Canadian crawled off of the German and settled down next to him on the ice. Gilbert sat up and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Maddie sighed deeply. She was as content as she could possibly be. After all, she did have a cuddly loser to claim as her own. "What about our lessons?" she giggled.

"Fuck those lessons. You're perfect just the way you are," Gilbert growled into her ear. The German proceeded to playfully nip at said ear. "Listen to me you shy, introverted dorkwad. You're mine." Maddie nodded her head in agreement. It was her shy nature that had caused them to grow so close to each other in the first place. She didn't regret being herself at all. Not one bit.

And so the Canadian and German just sat there, their eyes gratefully taking in and enjoying the red, orange and purple hues of the oncoming sunset. Their butts were soaked, and people stared at them whenever they kissed, but they couldn't have cared less. They were together and that's all that mattered in the end. During the whole time that they sat there, Maddie couldn't shake off the placated smile on her face.

 _He finally noticed me_ , was the only thought that seemed to cross her mind on this blessed, shitstorm of a day.

* * *

Thanks to: Elizabeta Hedervary- Hungary and Fandita-lp for reviewing last chapter.


	34. Olive you, Olive you Not

**A/N: Warning:** Fluff and Shitty sexual humour overload. I'm quite embarrassed by this chapter. Lmao sorry. I tried my best. I'm currently overrun with other stories and the want to start more. I was already impulsive enough to start a fourth ( **Omg a new Spamano fic, no way**!). Curb it with the sarcasm, Ella, you're not funny. No but seriously. Check it out! I can guarantee that it'll break your heart.

 **Explanation** : Sorry, I've been really irrational over the past couple of weeks. I'm extremely insecure about my writing. Which would explain why I've gone back and re-written the first 22 chapters of this story. It was just embarrassing. The writing style. The grammatical errors. I was horrified. That's why I didn't upload last Saturday. I was too embarrassed to let new people see this story. The story is now much clearer and coherently written. It's actually amazing how far my writing has come in just 8 months. Sigh. In another few months from now I'll probably be embarrassed by my current writing style. Ugh. Perfectionism at it's worse.

Anyways, enjoy :D! Also….I don't know when I'll be uploading the last chapter. Writing final chapters make me really anxious. All I can promise you is that I'll try my very best.

* * *

 **Olive you, Olive you Not:**

 **Maddie's POV:** (December 26th)

It was a peaceful, glorious afternoon. Most of it was spent relaxing. And cuddling. Don't forget about that. Gilbert had his arms wrapped around her, his hands absently fingering through her blonde curls. They were both too lazy to do much of anything else. The only thing that they wanted was to be close. For so long they had distanced themselves from each other and now separation was unthinkable. Perhaps even unbearable. Maddie turned on her side. She pressed a palm to Gilbert's chest, secretly wishing that he wasn't wearing a shirt. She could feel his heat seep into her hand and just the thought of running a hand along his abs had her drooling.

Gilbert hummed and let out a contented sigh. His eyelids fluttered open revealing beautiful, albeit tired, crimson eyes. Maddie's heart hammered in her chest. She would never get used to how piercing his gaze was. "This is nice," he murmured.

Maddie didn't have much to offer to the conversation. Her breath hitched when Gilbert cupped a hand to her face. "Y-yeah it is." Maddie giggled. Gilbert gave her a questioning stare.

"What?" he pouted.

"Alfred's going to murder you if he sees us like this."

Gilbert scoffed. "I'll die a happy man then." His eyes darkened a shade. "Would you be willing to give me one last wish?"

"Perhaps."

"Kiss me."

Maddie grinned. "Your wish is my command." She crushed her lips to his, and once more she felt a fire of passion quell up in her chest. It was gentle at first, but it quickly gained tempo when Gilbert slipped his tongue into her mouth. Maddie moaned. This encouraged Gilbert to take things farther, much to her own delight. A hand snaked its way up her shirt. Gilbert's palm rubbed against her stomach. Maddie took his hand and raised it so that it was cupping her chest. She wanted to feel Gilbert everywhere. And him likewise.

Gilbert flipped over. He was now straddling her. He bent down for another kiss. Maddie knotted her hands through his pale hair. She gasped when he started to suck on the sensitive skin of her neck. He sucked harder. She had no choice but to smack him on the back of the head. "Hey!" she scolded. "You're going to give me a hickey." Gilbert didn't stop. Maddie shoved him in the chest.

With a loathsome groan, Gilbert pulled away. He fell to her side, flopping onto his back. Both of them were breathing heavily. Maddie sat up and ran a hand through her dishevelled hair. Strong arms wrapped themselves around her waist. Maddie deadpanned. Gilbert was relentless. His hot breath tickled her now reddening ear. "Are you ashamed of me?" he whispered.

"N-no?"

Gilbert nipped her earlobe. "Then let me mark you."

Maddie giggled. "I'm not sure if I like this possessive fetish of yours."

Gilbert chuckled into her ear. It sent shivers down Maddie's spine. "You won't be saying that for long," he drawled.

"Ok seriously. Enough," Maddie huffed. "You're not thinking properly. You're still half-asleep."

Gilbert hummed in agreement. "Must be. You are the girl of my dreams, after all."

"You smooth little douche," Maddie chided.

"Want to see how smooth I am in bed?"

Maddie had had enough. She pressed a firm hand over Gilbert's face and pushed. The German fell onto his back with a surprised oomph. Maddie lunged forward before he could pull her back into his arms. She crawled over to the end of the bed and opened up her lap top. Maddie smirked. Gilbert had forgotten to log out of his blog page. Bold black letters spelled out the page's name: _Augmentally-Awesome_.

Several pictures popped up on the home page. Most of them were of Gilbert's old pet bird, Gilbird. A smiling, toothless Gilbert grinned at the camera. Cupped in his hands was a fluffy yellow ball of feathers. Maddie swooned. He had never changed. The idiot was still as eccentric and loud as ever.

Another portion of the page that was named _'Frau's Corner'_ caught Maddie's eye. Right under the title was a selfie that she had taken with Gilbert. It was from yesterday in fact. Their faces were red from the cold but their smiles were brighter than ever before. A surge of happiness enveloped in her chest. She would remember that moment for the rest of her life. Maddie's eyes fell to the description underneath the picture:

 _This is my new, slightly more awesome, girlfriend Maddie. She's shy and adorable so hand's off guys or girls or whatever the heck that you identify as! She's mine! I'm still amazed as to how this even happened. It's all so surreal. Ah! What can I say? I'm the luckiest guy in the world :D_

Gilbert inhaled sharply. Maddie turned around. His face was beet red from embarrassment. "Um….you weren't supposed to see that," he muttered. Gilbert shied under her gaze. All of his cockiness from earlier was gone.

"Well I'm glad that I did." Gilbert grinned. He opened his arms and Maddie didn't hesitate to fall into his chest. Her head rested against his collar bone. She stroked a hand along his back. Gilbert had his shy moments. This moment was one of them. It felt like she was comforting a man in the disguise of a young child. She could feel his irregular heart beat against her ear. Maddie trailed a finger along his chest. The THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! of his heart picked up.

The couple pulled apart when they heard the front door slam open downstairs. Maddie sighed. Arthur wanted to make sure that everyone knew that he was home. The Briton was absolutely repulsed at the thought of being a fifth wheel. Maddie _almost_ felt sorry for him. But then again her cousin's awkwardness over the matter wasn't going to stop her from displaying her affections. Ones that she had kept to herself for _too_ long.

The German groaned. "Stay here. I'll be right back." Gilbert crawled off of the bed and stood in front of her vanity mirror. He straightened his shirt, combed through his hair with his fingers, and gave his face a soft yet strangely firm slap with both hands.

Maddie's brows furrowed in confusion. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to talk to him about Cheya."

"Oh."

Maddie didn't want to know more about the matter. She was having a good day, and ignorance was the only thing that would prevent it from being spoiled.

* * *

 **Gilbert's POV:**

Gilbert _really_ didn't want to do this. But he knew that he had to. If that Ferret face was going to date Cheya, then it was absolutely necessary to establish some ground rules. Cheya had already suffered more than enough. And it was his job to make sure that that didn't happen again.

Gilbert knocked on Arthur's door. "BUGGER OFF! I'M NOT HUNGRY!"

Gilbert opened the door anyways. He entered the brightly lit room. The curtains were drawn open and sitting on the window seat was a very disgruntled Arthur. Gilbert stifled a groan. How typical. In one hand the Briton clutched onto a cup of tea, and in the other, he held onto a book. This guy was as basic and boring as just about every other tumblrina on the internet. Gilbert _almost_ felt sorry for him.

Arthur's head snapped to the side. "I SAID I'M NOT…." the Briton faltered. "Oh, it's just you." Arthur set down his tea. He continued to read his book, however. Gilbert resisted the urge to slam his smug looking head through the window.

Gilbert cleared his throat. Arthur flipped through a page of his book in response. Gilbert cleared his throat again. Arthur hummed and picked at the dirt under his nails. They were bantering back and forth with one another in silence. Arthur was indifferent. Gilbert was livid.

In the end, Gilbert was the one who gave in first. "Look, I just wanted to say that-"

Arthur scoffed. "My God are you actually apologizing to me?" He set down his book for the first time. His emerald green eyes wavered with both surprise and hesitation. Perhaps even doubt.

Gilbert bit his lip. He was one interruption away from completely losing his temper. "Ja," he said through clenched teeth. "I am. Cheya explained everything to me. I'm still mad at you for letting things escalate to that point, but what happened couldn't have been helped."

Arthur shed him with a bewildered stare. Bewilderment quickly turned into concern. "Is she…Is she alright?"

"Why don't you ask her yourself?"

"I have. But I don't suppose that texting counts, now does it?"

Gilbert balled his hands into fists. This guy had a talent for getting under people's skin. It boggled his mind how Cheya had ever bothered to put up with him. Or rather, _still_ bothered to put up with him.

"She's fine. Every now and then she has to take some pain medication for headaches, but other than that, she's perfectly healthy."

A relieved smile tugged on the corners of Arthur's lips. "Alright then. Thank you for informing me." Arthur picked up his book and resumed reading. Gilbert saw red. Did the idiot really think that this was all that he had come here for?! The Briton had an overwhelming amount of nerve.

"I'm not done."

Arthur poked his stuffy looking nose out of his book. He spoke in an uninterested tone. "Oh?"

"I came here to speak to you about Cheya."

"You already did?"

A low growl rose up in Gilbert's throat. "Listen up, fuckwad. You better treat her right, because if you don't there'll be hell to pay."

Arthur guffawed. "What are you, her father?"

"HA! More like your worse nightmare!"

"Last time I checked nightmares were dark and frightening."

 _Come on. Say it. Give me my excuse._

"And just what the fuck are you insinuating?"

"Take a look in the mirror and come back to me on that. Oh wait. You can't. You're pale enough to reflect light yourself."

"THAT'S IT!" Gilbert roared. The next few moments were a blur. Arthur's book was torn in half. Gilbert was punched in the face. Arthur was punched in the jaw. Curse words, bangs, and angry grunts quickly filled the air.

Arthur placed Gilbert in a chokehold. "HOW DARE YOU RUIN SUCH FINE LITERATURE!" Spittle flew everywhere.

"FINE LITERATURE MY ASS! THAT SHIT'S DRY ENOUGH TO START AN ENTIRE FOREST FIRE!"

"BLOODY WANKER! YOU TAKE THAT BACK!"

"N-NEVER!" Gilbert choked, his face turning an unnatural shade of purple.

"WOOHOOO!" Alfred hollered. The American had come to stand by the bedroom door and watch. He was always keen to watch his sister's boyfriend get his face pummeled in. "GIVE IT TO HIM ARTIE!"

Gilbert spluttered. "WHOSE SIDE ARE YOU ON?!"

"OBVIOUSLY NOT YOURS!" Alfred cackled. "QUICK! PUNCH HIM IN THE BALLS!"

Natalia entered the room. She took one look at Alfred, who was excitedly writing down bets on a piece of paper, and then at Arthur and Gilbert, who were currently strangling each other. The Belarusian was quick to leave the room after that. Boys would be boys. And idiots would be idiots.

It goes to say that she wanted absolutely no part in the matter.

…

Two bodies hit the floor.

Gilbert and Arthur lay on their backs. They were both panting from exertion.

"Right-o mate! That was some fine fighting."

"Don't you get all chummy with me! I still hate your guts."

A crazed grin carved its way onto Arthur's face. "But of course."

Gilbert turned his head to hide his grin. "You're a smug bastard, you know that?"

"Poppet, please. I can't handle all of this flattery."

Gilbert deadpanned.

There was no winning with this turd.

* * *

 **Natalia's POV:**

Natalia looked up at the paused video game screen with heavy, lidded eyes. This entire afternoon had been perfect. She couldn't have been any comfier. Or warmer. She was wearing Alfred's bomber jacket, and although it was heavy, it was indeed very warm and snug. Natalia stood up from the bed and stretched. Perhaps she would go downstairs and make some lunch. Alfred wasn't fooling her anytime soon. He had deliberately turned up the volume to drown out his stomach's ravenous growling; foolish, adorable American.

Natalia turned to leave the room. She stopped at his dresser. A picture frame caught her eye. She looked at the picture with a peaking curiosity. It was Alfred, but it wasn't Alfred. If that made any sense. He had the same wheat blond hair and that insufferable cowlick, the same cerulean blue eyes, and the same dopey, moronic grin. The man was wearing brown khaki pants and a white muscle shirt. He appeared to be in some sort of military.

The bedroom door creaked open. Followed by heavy footsteps.

Alfred wrapped his arms around her waist. His cheeks pressed up against the crook of her neck. Natalia closed her eyes. She breathed in deeply. "That's my Pops." he chuckled. "I got all my looks from him!"

"I can see that," Natalia murmured with a wry grin on her face. "I look forward to meeting him."

"You can't. He's dead."

The room started to spin. Natalia inhaled sharply. "O-Oh… Alfred I'm so sorry." Natalia turned around to face him. She cupped a hand to his cheek. The sad look in his eyes made her feel terrible. Guilt wracked her senses. Natalia let her hand fall to her side. She buried her face deep into his collar bone and made sure to hug him tight.

Alfred bent down to peck the top of her head. "It's alright. You couldn't have possibly known."

Natalia didn't dare to speak.

Alfred was the first one to break the silence.

"Don't you want to know?" he asked.

"About?"

"About how he went…"

Natalia was appalled. "A-Alfred…I-I….it doesn't matter," she finished.

Alfred smoothed a hand through her hair. "I'll still tell you anyways. Baby, I want you to know everything single thing about me."

"Alright. But only if you want to." Natalia pulled away from the hug. She grabbed his hand and steered him towards the foot of the bed. They sat down.

"My father died in Afghanistan. You see, he's where I got my strong sense of my patriotism from. I didn't know him for that long, but I looked up to him. As cliché as it is, he was my Hero. He was strong and brave and kind and just a wonderful man to be around. He would always talk to me about freedom and justice and I just remember being amazed by how passionate he sounded.

Alfred himself looked very passionate at the moment. He spoke in a soft tone with wide, admiring eyes.

"He died fighting for his country, the most noble of deaths if you ask me."

Natalia froze.

"I wanted nothing more than to follow in his footsteps."

"N-NO!" Natalia spluttered. "I-I mean…you can't leave!" The thought of Alfred joining the military terrified her. She couldn't bear to imagine him coming home in a coffin, dead, lifeless, and void of that beloved spark in his eye. Her breathing became shallow. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. No. She wouldn't believe it. She couldn't.

"Nat…I?"

Natalia shook her head back and forth. "You're not joining the military! I refuse! You're too reckless and kind-hearted! You'll only get yourself killed! And what good would you be then? How could you be anyone's hero? How could you…how could you be my hero?!"

Oh God. She had finally come out with it. Alfred was never going to let her live this down afterwards.

Alfred chuckled. He pulled her closer. "I'll admit. At one point in my life I really did want to join the military. But another man in my life helped change that opinion. He was a maple syrup loving pacifist who taught me how to think rather than act. It was then that I learned that blinded patriotism was perhaps the greatest, most dangerous weapon of all."

Natalia let a brief bout of silence envelop between them. Alfred's powerful words deserved to be taken in.

"I'm guessing that this man was Maddie's father?"

"Yup!"

Natalia hummed her approval. "Smart man."

Alfred used a gentle thumb to tilt up her chin. His eyes burned right into hers. "I won't leave you Natalia. I couldn't bear to."

"You better not," she huffed.

Alfred looked at her with heavy eyes. "C'mere," he grumbled in a low voice. The overall atmosphere had changed. It was no longer solemn, but rather sensuous and alluring. Only actions would take them to where they wanted to go.

Natalia crawled onto his lap, straddling him. "Why don't you show me what a real man can do?" she purred. She could already feel what a real man could do. It was currently pressing up against her thigh.

Alfred smirked.

Natalia weakened at the godforsaken sight of it.

"Yes Ma'am."

* * *

 **Ludwig's POV:** (Location, Vargas Household)

Things were not looking good for Feli. The poor girl was currently curled up in his arms, fast asleep on her bed. Ludwig and Antonio were visiting the Vargas' house for a planned luncheon, but it appeared that Feli had used up most of her energy on Christmas Day. Her fever had relapsed and here she was again, sick in bed. Ludwig was bored and had nothing to do. He merely stared at the walls. Paintings of all sorts covered them. Bright lively colours were used to decorate the canvases.

This made Ludwig smile. Feli had given him a painting that portrayed their first encounter together. Back at the University's tulip garden, with the bright yellows, reds, oranges, and browns of the falling leaves. It was quite possibly the best present that he had have ever received in his life. He cherished that painting and made sure to hang it up right in front of his homework desk. He wanted to be reminded of Feli in every way possible. After all, he was in love with her.

Feli muttered in her sleep. Ludwig smoothed away some copper curls from her sweaty, pallid face. The bracelet on her wrist jingled as she snuggled closer to him. Ludwig smiled again. Feli had been so happy when he had given her that bracelet. It was the happiest that he had ever seen her. But now, Feli was sick, frail and weak. It was heartbreaking for Ludwig to see her like this. And it killed him to know that he was the one who had gotten her sick. It didn't help that Lovina had made it her job to remind him of this. Speaking of Lovina…

Said Vargas sister was currently prowling back and forth outside of Feli's bedroom door. In her hand she clutched onto a butcher knife. Furious hazel eyes made direct contact with startled blue ones. Ludwig did his best to lower his voice. "What are you doing?"

Ludwig didn't bother to ask where Antonio was. The shouting going on downstairs was obvious enough. Mr. Vargas must have been having one of his 'talks' with the Spaniard again. Ludwig was almost relieved. It was a good thing that Romulus already liked him.

Lovina grinned. She stroked a long, slender finger along the blade of the knife. She had forgotten to flip the knife over. Ludwig pretended to ignore the fact that she had just cut herself with it. "Oh. Don't mind me. I'm just reminding you of your impending death…mio Dio!" Lovina had finally taken notice to her bleeding finger. Blood started to trickle down her wrist.

She spoke in a hissing whisper. "This isn't over, bricktato," she seethed before slithering out of sight. Ludwig believed her every word. Although, it was quite amusing to receive a threat from someone in an oversized tomato print sweater. Antonio sure had an odd taste in presents.

It didn't take Lovina long to appear at the door again. One of her hands was wrapped in a messy display of bandages and gauze. The fiery Italian sat down on the carpeted floor. This time she carried a blender and a much smaller knife with her. One that wouldn't slice through her fingers so easily. Ludwig could merely watch as she took a carrot, snapped it in half, and chucked it into the blender. Followed by a banana. And an eggplant. And a cucumber. And basically any other fruit or vegetable that was remotely shaped like a penis. All the while she was glaring at Ludwig.

Ludwig had finally had enough. "C-can I help you?" he spluttered.

Lovina twirled and spun around the knife in her hand. "Yes, actually you can. My smoothie is in desperate need of some wurst. Care to help me?" The devious look on her face was unnerving. Something told him that her version of wurst was very different from his. The Italian and German engaged in a stare down. Ludwig couldn't move but he did a good job of holding his ground.

Their stare down halted when Antonio came sprinting upstairs. He was simply happy to be free from yet another one of Romulus' tedious lectures. Antonio faltered, mid-joyful sprint, when he spotted his girlfriend sitting in the hallway with a blender in her lap. "Lovi?" he questioned when he really shouldn't have been so surprised.

The Spaniard followed the Italian's gaze.

Antonio gave Ludwig a puzzling look. Ludwig silently pleaded with him.

 _Save me!_

Despite his fear and agitation, Ludwig found it hard not to smile at the Spaniard's outfit. He and Lovina were wearing matching sweaters. It was disturbing yet oddly precious (?) at the same time.

Antonio, for once, actually clued in to the situation. "Lovi! Leave Ludwig alone. You've scared him enough," he scolded. Antonio pulled Lovina to her feet. His arms curled under her armpits.

Lovina thrashed and struggled under his grip. She kicked over the blender by accident. Fruit and vegetable carnage spilled onto the ground. "OH GREAT! NOW HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO CASTRATE HIM?"

"QUE?!" Antonio roared.

"SHHHHH!" Ludwig's eyes widened when Feli began to stir in his arms.

"Don't worry Ludwig! I can handle this!" A devilish smirk crossed over Antonio's face. His chest erupted with deep, gravelly laughter. Antonio raised a hand to stroke Lovina's curls. His hand stopped at that one stray curl that always managed to stick up for whatever reason.

Lovina's eyes widened in realization. "D-don't you fucking dare, bastard!"

But it was already far too late. Antonio grabbed the curl and yanked. Lovina's eyes drooped. She slumped into the Spaniard's chest, looking up at him through lidded eyes. "Oh bastard," she moaned. "You really now how to please a bitch." Lovina broke out into a fit of intoxicated, giddy laughter.

Ludwig's eyebrows shot up into his hair line. What just happened? Was that curl an erogenous zone for her? Antonio sent Ludwig an all-knowing grin. And with that, the Spaniard scooped up the giggling Italian into his arms and walked off. Presumably to a space of more privacy.

"Baciami! Baciami!"

"Eheh, Lovi. Not in the hallway…."

"I SAID BACIAMI BITCH!"

SMACK!

"MMPH!"

For the sake of his sanity, Ludwig tuned out the rest of _that_ conversation.

Ludwig ran a hand through Feli's hair. His hand rested quite close to Feli's own stray curl. His curiosity got the best of him. Ludwig stroked the copper curl. Feli moaned in her sleep and snuggled closer to him.

Ludwig blinked. Surely he had just imagined it.

He stroked the curl again. But just to make sure! He wasn't being a pervert or anything.

Oh no. Nothing like that.

Feli's face flushed red. Ludwig rationalized this as a symptom of her fever.

He stroked the curl one last time. "Oh Dio, yes Ludwig, right there," Feli muttered in her sleep.

Ludwig's eyes widened. So the curl _was_ an erogenous zone.

Ludwig's head hit the pillow before he even realized it.

It was all too much to take in.

* * *

 **Cheya's POV:**

I rushed into my room and slammed the door. Yup. My ninja food snatching skills were still intact. In fact, they were better than ever now that I actually had an excuse to hole myself up in my room. Papa was downstairs, currently entertaining my Aunt Monica. If I couldn't already tell by the insane amount of laughter and the sound of wine glasses clinking against each other.

It took a lot of skill to avoid my Aunt Monica. When she heard about my concussion, she had flown in right away. I was her precious ( _and only_ ) niece, after all. I poked my head downstairs every now and then just to humour her curiosity and concern. But I mostly kept to myself. I was too embarrassed to show my face anyways. With Bella's approval, Papa had forced me into wearing a helmet 24/7. And I wasn't allowed to take it off until a full week had passed. I felt like a dog in a cone. It was pathetic.

Anyways, I had just returned from a reconnaissance mission downstairs. My findings were three flower shaped macarons, a slice of chocolate cake, and a nanaimo bar. I'm pretty sure that my Papa saw me, but thankfully he hadn't said anything. It was hard to be stealthy when your helmet kept getting in the way of everything. Pretty counter productive if you ask me. If anything I was making my concussion worse by wearing it.

My phone buzzed in the front pocket of my bunny onesie. It was Arthur (heh, how ironic). For the past couple of days we had been texting back and forth. But there was only so much that we could say through text. I sat on my bed and nibbled on the petals of a flower macaron.

 _He loves me. He loves me not. He loves me. He loves me not._

 _Call him. Don't call him. Call him. Don't call him._

In the end, I decided to call him. With it being the holidays, it was unlikely that I would get another chance like this again. At least my aunt was there to distract my Papa from snooping. Actually never mind. It was more likely that she would join him in his snooping. God forbid.

The phone picked up almost right away.

" _C-Cheya?! Oh God, is it really you?!"_

I grinned. "The one and only. How are you?"

Arthur's breathing was ragged. " _Forget about me! How's your head feeling_?"

I stifled a groan. "I'm fine, really. Sometimes I get headaches, but it's nothing that a little pain medication can't handle."

I could just imagine Arthur running a hand through his hair. He was probably pacing back and forth across his room right now. I smirked at the thought.

I knew him all too well.

 _SMACK!_

"Uh, Arthur? What just happened?"

Arthur laughed like a madman. " _I just walked straight into a door_!"

"You what?!"

" _Don't worry! I'm quite alright. HA! Just splendid…my nose is just bleeding a bit…uh… bloody hell it's bleeding a lot_ …."

Arthur put down the phone. He was grabbing something to staunch his nosebleed.

I patiently waited for him.

" _Are you still there_?!" His voice sounded a bit more congested and nasally than usual.

I bit down on my impatience. "Uh-huh."

" _Oh. Good_."

"So, would you like to meet up sometime?"

Wrong move, Cheya. Now you got him all excited again.

" _Of course I do! How does tomorrow sound?"_

I winced. I was under house arrest for the rest of the week. There was no way in hell that Papa would lift that ban any time sooner. Believe me. I tried to persuade him otherwise. It didn't work.

"I'm on bedrest until the end of the week."

" _O-Oh. I see_." The disappointment in Arthur's voice was disheartening.

I felt compelled to cheer him up.

"How about we meet up on New Years Eve instead?" The romantic gears in my head were whirring. I could just imagine it now. Eating cotton candy. Playing carnival games. Kissing under the stars while fireworks erupted over our heads. It would be an unforgettable night, full of bliss and surprises. My chest hurt at the very thought of it.

Arthur didn't speak. I was beginning to worry.

"Oh! Before I forget. I wanted to thank you for your card and the candy. It was very _sweet_ of you."

" _YOU'RE WELCOME!"_ Arthur blurted out.

Ah. I see. Arthur had never been smooth when it came to expressing his emotions. This phone call must have been too much for him to handle.

"So….Is that a yes or a no for New Years Eve?"

" _YES! GOOD GOD YES!"_

I giggled. He was such a dork.

"OI, _ARTIE! WHATCHA SHOUTING ABOUT_?"

A series of muffled yells could be heard in the background. It sounded like some sort of scuffle was going on.

" _CHEYA? IT'S ALFRED! YOU'RE ON SPEAKER PHONE NOW. MADDIE, NATALIA, AND THE ALBINO FUCKBOY ARE HERE TOO_." Alfred's loud voice boomed into the phone.

I didn't catch Gilbert's retort. It was in German, which meant that he must have been really angry.

" _GIVE ME BACK THE PHONE, DAMN YOU_!" Arthur roared.

" _SHE'S OUR FRIEND TOO_!" Alfred pouted. " _AND WHY IS THERE A TAMPON STICKING OUT OF YOUR NOSE_?!"

" _He got that idea from She's the Man_ ," Maddie giggled.

 _"BLOODY HELL! I DID NOT!"_

 _"Oh shut it you. We all know that you have a secret love for chick flicks."_

" _Which would make sense, considering the fact that he's been moping around like a love sick fangirl all week_ ," Natalia added.

 _"I HOPE THAT YOU ALL ROT IN HELL!"_

 _"You already make our lives a living hell, what's the difference_?" Natalia, Alfred, and Maddie all retorted in unified harmony.

A very confused Gilbert gave a fierce "Ja" in agreement.

I smiled.

My friends never failed to make me laugh.

I loved them all so damned much.


	35. Fish and Ships

**A big thank you to:** OversensitiveFantasies **for reviewing last chapter.**

 **A/N: Wow. We finally made it. This is the last chapter. It's all so surreal. For those who have read and supported me all through out this shaky writing process, thank you all so much. Really. This story helped me grow much more confident in my writing. It touched my heart to reach out to so many of you guys. I've even ended up making a few new friends. Which is, without a doubt, freaking awesome!**

 **Unfortunately, I will not be writing any epilogue chapters for this story. I've been experiencing a lot of stress lately (** my mom told me that I shouldn't be writing on fanfiction anymore. She thinks that I'm wasting my time and that this website is stupid; harsh right? **), and honestly, I myself am not down to write another 50-60, 000 words. I had several chapters planned, dorky pun titles included. That being said, I have posted the outlines of the epilogue chapters onto my profile. Just for you to see, I suppose; if you're interested.**

 **Some of you have PM'd me about this, so I'll just answer it here as well. I won't be updating two stories a week from now on. Only one. I'll be alternating between my three ongoing stories. YUP! That's right. Tomorrow I'll be uploading another Spamano multi-chapter. Stay tuned for that xD. Anyways, this will be the last week where you'll see two chapters from me. I hope you understand. School's starting up again. I can only do so much.**

 **Thank you all for reading and supporting this catastrophic fanfiction :D It means the absolute world to me. Without your kindness and encouragement, I probably wouldn't have finished this story. Think of it this way. You helped a shy, depressed girl find something that she truly loves. I am so very grateful for that!**

 **Enjoy and thanks for reading! Hopefully I wrap this up ok! I've been told that I have a flare for endings ;)**

* * *

 **Fish and Ships:**

 **Cheya's POV (New Years Eve 10:00 PM)**

I walked downstairs and giggled to myself as I drew my navy blue Cormac coat over my shoulders. For good measure I had wrapped a grey wool scarf over my neck to conceal any evidence of what I was wearing. Hopefully my outfit wouldn't draw any suspicion. I was wearing black stockings underneath my get up and would most likely opt to sport a pair of combat boots to match. Oh well. It didn't matter in the end. As long as Bella and Papa didn't find out about my disguise everything would be golden.

Today was the day. I was finally going to meet up with Arthur in person. No more helmet. No more babying. And certainly no more moping around. Although most of the moping done lately had been on Papa's part. He wasn't too keen on letting his only daughter go. Both figuratively and literally. Seriously, that man clung onto me for dear life. I've had to keep a pack of Kleenex on me at all times because of it. He would sob and beg for me to stay young forever. I had no choice but to shrug off his koala tendencies and tell him that I was already grown up and that there was nothing he could do about it. The only thing that cheered him up was the possibility of grandchildren. And then he sobbed again when he realized that his grandchildren would probably share some of Arthur's traits.

I didn't have the heart to tell him that Arthur and I would probably never have children. For one thing, we haven't been dating long enough to make such a drastic decision. And another, well, Arthur was just shitty with people in general. Can you imagine how traumatizing he would be with young, impressionable children? Not to mention the fact that he's a horrible cook. Eh. Not that I'm any better. But still. Maddie visited the house the other day, and when she did, she had brought over some of Arthur's scones. The eye contact that she made with me when she handed them over was all too smug. It was almost like saying ' _I pass you the torch of Arthur's arrogance; don't break his bubble_.'

At least Arthur had attached a sweet note to the tin box. It's the thought that counts, right? Tell that to Papa. He still couldn't fathom as to why Arthur had given me an entire box of 'gold' coal. You heard me right; coal. Those scones were so hard that Papa had mistaken them as coal. Again. I didn't have the heart to tell them that that 'coal' was actually food, albeit it not being very edible. Papa would surely go into cardiac arrest at the prospect of tasting Arthur's cooking. And so, I didn't say anything when he used the scones to help keep the fire going in our living room. Nor did I mind when the scent of blueberries filtered through out the house. That was the one and only time that Arthur's scones had ever done any good to this world. It just sucked that I had to spend close to $50 in candles at Bath and Body works to keep up with the ruse.

"Oi! You coming or what?" Bella placed both hands on her hips and scowled up at me. I laughed and padded into the front hallway. Papa and Bella had been waiting for close to ten minutes now. I sighed when I compared their appearances. Bella was dressed and ready to go out. Her blond curls were tucked underneath a bright green hat, which matched her eyes and dark green trench coat surprisingly well. Her cheeks were still a bit rosy from being out in the cold. Papa, on the other hand, looked exactly how I did last week. He was wearing a flimsy black and white checkered robe and Eiffel tower themed slippers. I made a conscious effort not to look at the insane amount of chest hair that his robe revealed.

I would have yelled at him if he hadn't been pouring out his feelings into a platter of macarons. I winced. That plate had been stacked to the top when I had gone upstairs to change. The crumbs on the corners of Bella's lips gave me a bit of closure. I don't know if I'd be able to bear another week of Papa's binge eating. Mostly because I didn't have the will power to stop myself from joining him. Over the last week I've endured five, fourteen-hour sugar induced comas. Ah. What a life.

I avoided Bella's glares while I slipped into my boots. The crunching of macarons was beginning to add to my irritation. I was a tense bundle of nerves. Excited, yet very easily agitated. It didn't help that Bella was so clearly against my meeting with Arthur. Which was weird. Because before she would never shut up about how hot he was. Or how she couldn't wait to be the Godmother of our children. You know, the works of an avid shipper. Anyways, after my concussion, Bella has had nothing good to say about Arthur. She denies ever liking him. Her and Papa have dedicated most of their time to making fun of Arthur. Especially when I was around to hear them do so.

"What's that red thing underneath your coat?" I froze in the middle of tying up the laces to my boots. Merde! It was stupid of me to bend over like that. Right in front of her too! I scrambled for credible excuses in my brain. It didn't take me long to come up with one. I feigned a smile and stood up straight to face her. The Belgian crossed her arms. Papa's eyes darted back and forth between us. Crumbs dribbled out of his mouth. The only sound that could be heard was chewing.

I placed a hand on the back of my neck and laughed. "The turtle neck that you gave me for Christmas, eheh…" Bella still looked skeptical. She traded skepticism for anger when she reached over to tug on one of my pig tails. I bit my lip and tried not cry out in pain. Any weakness that I showed would be an invitation for further interrogation.

"I thought you said that you would be wearing your hair down from now on?"

I shrugged. "When have you ever seen me truly commit to something?"

My mouth parted open into an O. Wrong words! Wrong words! Abort! Abort!

"See! What did I tell you, Francis?! She's not ready for a relationship!"

Papa didn't reply. Bella was left with no choice but to smack the platter of macarons out of his hand. It fell to the ground with a loud clang. Papa wailed and ran a rugged hand through his wavy blond locks. "My only comfort in the world! Gone!" he sobbed.

Bella grabbed Papa by both shoulders and shook his unresponsive body back and forth. "Snap out of it, Francis! You have more to lose than macarons! What about your daughter?!" I paled. Oh-oh. Papa and I locked gazes. I took a step back. It was all futile in the end. Papa trapped me in a hug before I could even blink. My eyes bulged out as Papa cupped a trembling hand against the back of my head. He held me tight. Too tight. So tight that I saw black spots in my vision. And two Bella's. Scratch that two very angry Bella's. Was this hell? It would explain a lot.

"Argh! Papa! I can't breathe!" I wheezed.

Papa didn't pay any heed to my protests. "Non! I refuse to lose my fleur to a tasteless Orangutan!" he growled in my ears. I struggled and tried to pull myself away from him. Bella was no help at all. She cackled and encouraged the development of Papa's 'empty nest syndrome.' Oh. I was so going to slap her when I got out of this. If I got out of this.

"He's not an Orangutan!" I snapped. "Granted, he's a bit of an asshole, but that's besides the point!"

Bella leered. "All the more reason not to go!"

Where was the filter to my mouth when I needed it?

I had a faceful of chest hair. My voice was muffled when I spoke. "Hey Papa?"

"Oui?" Papa stroked my hair. I repressed the urge to stomp on his foot.

"I hid an entire platter of macarons under the kitchen sink…"

Papa gasped. "C'est vrai?" he breathed. I could smell wine on his breath. A lot of wine. I smirked to myself. His drunkenness made my plot all the more easier. I nodded my head and hummed my muffled agreement. Papa was stumbling around the kitchen corner in no time. I almost face planted on the ground. I wasn't expecting him to leave so fast. Bella glared at me while I grabbed my purse.

"That was a dirty trick," she seethed.

I shrugged and shed her with a mirthful grin. "We should probably go. It won't take him long before he figures it out."

"Figures out what…?" Bella spluttered. I grabbed her elbow and towed us towards the front door.

I avoided direct eye contact with her as I unlocked the door. "That there aren't anymore macarons…."

Bella looked to me with horror. I opened the door and wildly gestured towards the front porch. "Out! Out!" I urged. The Belgian didn't need further explanation. Papa's wails and pounding footsteps were enough to make anyone run for their life. I slammed the door shut, grabbed Bella's hand, and made a mad dash for the sidewalk. It was pitch black out. Our only guides were the belated Christmas lights that our neighbors had been too lazy to take down. I nearly slipped on the ice again. Oh irony. Why must you be such a bitch? Bella and I didn't even make it halfway down the drive way before Papa wrenched open the front door.

"WHERE ARE MY GODDAMNED MACARONS!" he shrieked.

I froze. "Oh? Did I say under the kitchen sink?" I stammered.

"OUI!" It was a very fierce and aggressive sounding oui.

I laughed nervously. "eheh, I meant the one in the laundry room."

Bella's grip on my hand tightened. Papa cackled. "AH HAH! YOU CAN'T HIDE ANYTHING FROM MOI!"

I stifled a groan. People were beginning to draw open their curtains. It wasn't uncommon for our neighbors to file noise complaints about my Papa. Those complaints increased tenfold during the holidays. He already drank an excessive amount of wine as it is. The holidays simply amplified his drinking.

Bella joined me in feigning a giggle. "Nope! I suppose not!"

Papa waved me off with a maniacal grin. He used his other hand to stroke the stubble on his chin. It didn't take a genius to know the reason why he was leaning on the door so heavily. I would probably have to seek refuge at Bella's house for the night. Papa popped a rum ball into his mouth. Alright. I would definitely be sleeping over at Bella's tonight.

"HAVE A _GOOD_ TIME! IF HE'S RICH MAKE SURE TO POKE A HOLE IN THE CONDOM! OHONHONHON!"

"HE'S KIDDING!" I called out.

The spying neighbors gave me a handful of incredulous, disgusted looks. Several drew their curtains shut. Presumably forever.

I turned to look at Bella. "You made him those rum balls, didn't you?"

Bella avoided eye contact.

I deadpanned. "Merde."

* * *

 **Cheya's POV: (Location, Winter Carnival, 11:00 PM)**

We made it. Bella and I had successfully fled from Papa. Our ears and minds were scarred from his excessively graphic sexual advice. But at least we were safe. We sprinted to the bus stop and didn't dare to look back. If we did, we would have probably seen Papa chasing after us in his robe and bare feet. It was always reassuring to know that I came second to his macarons. Ah. I can't say that I wouldn't do the same. If it wasn't for Arthur, food would be my top priority too. Speaking of Arthur, he had texted me to meet him by the ice sculptures. Bella was too absorbed in the scenery to let go of my hand. I couldn't blame her. The Carnival got more and more beautiful every year. I was stuck to her like glue. Regardless, I could only guess that she wanted to 'speak' to Arthur before she left us on our own.

I smiled to myself and breathed in the merry atmosphere. Endless crowds of people came to this pier for New Years Eve. Stands of all sorts hung to our sides. The smell of cotton candy and corn dogs added steam to the clouds of vapour that people exhaled into the air. Excited chatter and the ringing sound of various carnival games echoed in my ears. Joyful children lugged around stuffed animals that were twice their size. Couples stuck close together and snogged at every given opportunity. The festivity was in full swing. Bright yellow lanterns and LED lights lit up every corner and/or pathway. The most beautiful aspect of it all was the looming, neon lit Ferris Wheel. It towered in the sky and painted light against the otherwise dark and cloudy night.

I smirked when I saw Bella spare a longing look at a nearby beer stand. I cocked my head towards a sign that pointed us in the direction of the ice sculptures. Bella was eager to follow my lead. She couldn't handle the thought of being single for another year whilst sober. I envied her in that aspect. My life was so much simpler when I was single. But I wouldn't take anything back. My time spent with Arthur kept me on my toes. Time with him was spontaneous. Unpredictable. Amazing. I was never bored with that twat. Heh. It's been a while since I've called him that, hasn't it?

It took us a good twenty minutes to trek towards the ice sculpting panels. My breath was taken away at every sculpture that we passed. It amazed me how talented these people were. The attention to detail was awe-inspiring. I would never have the patience to carve and whittle away at a block of ice. Funny how something so plain and ordinary can turn out to be so beautiful and amazing. Merde. I lost track of the metaphor. Did I just call Arthur beautiful? Pft! Don't tell him I said that. He'll strangle me if he ever finds out.

Bella and I passed by a sculpture of Cinderella's carriage. In this sense, I suppose that Bella was my fairy godmother. Except rather than taking me to the ball she was taking me to the blitz that was Arthur's easily triggered temper. I spotted a familiar mop of messy blond hair standing beside a swan sculpture. It was lit up with neon hues of pink, purple, and green. The two swan's necks curved to make a heart. Oh the feels. He was always quick to deny it, but Arthur was secretly a low key romantic.

I surged forward. Bella caught my elbow and pulled me back. Arthur still had his back turned to us. Bella shoved me so that I fell behind her. She approached Arthur with tense shoulders and a high chin. We were a few paces away at this point. Bella cleared her throat. Arthur spun around. His eyes widened with excitement. Excitement quickly turned into disgruntlement when he saw me hesitantly poke my head over Bella's shoulder. I shed him with a timid smile. "Hello!" I blushed. This moment went by much smoother in my head. Arthur awkwardly smiled back. He couldn't keep still. He was jumping up and down on the balls of his feet. I, on the other hand, wanted nothing more than to jump into his arms.

Bella snapped at me in French. " _Let me handle this_!" she hissed. I whined only to get an elbow to the stomach. That shut me up real quick.

Arthur faltered. "Uh…and you are…?"

"Bella Martens. What a displeasure to meet you." My head thudded against Bella's back in defeat. I closed my eyes and considered melting into the ground. I was absolutely mortified. Arthur took back the hand that he had offered to Bella. It was clear that she wasn't going to shake it.

Arthur opened his mouth to speak. "I already know who you are!" Bella snapped. "Arthur Kirkland. Son of Mary and George Kirkland. Descendant to the throne of pompousness and shitty scones!" So she _did_ google him. Even when I had told her not to. Her snooping never failed to make me cringe.

"Bella!" I whined. My protests went ignored.

Arthur's face reddened. "Now wait just a minute here! What gives you the right to speak to me like that?!

Bella shrugged. She pulled me forward and draped an arm around my shoulder. I was too embarrassed to look Arthur in the eye. "You hurt her. Badly. I'm simply reciprocating the favour," she growled. I cowered under the limelight. I didn't like being tossed around like a lifeless object of display. I was nothing more than a ragdoll. Arthur's brows furrowed. He too didn't favour Bella jostling me around so roughly. Not that he could do much about it.

"He didn't hurt me!" I spluttered. "Well not that badly anyways," I added in as an afterthought.

Bella flicked me in the forehead and I cried out. "Tell that to your concussion," she spat.

Bella shifted her gaze back to Arthur. "I have some questions for you."

Arthur snorted and crossed his arms. "What makes you think that I'm obligated to answer them?"

Bella turned her head to the side. " _This_ is who you fell in love with?"

I pursed my lips into a pout. "He's cute! I couldn't help it."

"I-I'M NOT CUTE!" Arthur spluttered. The blush on his face proved otherwise.

Bella looked back to Arthur. "Well. At least he's honest."

"OI!"

Arthur's anger was beginning to spike. Bella didn't give a single fuck.

The Belgian jabbed a claw finger in the Briton's direction. "You're not obligated to answer my questions. But, just so you know, I won't leave until you do."

I sent Arthur a pleading look.

Arthur sighed and relented. "Just get on with it already."

"Name?"

"You already know my-"

Bella grit her teeth. She detested repeating herself. "Name?"

Arthur groaned. "Arthur Kirkland."

"Age?"

"23."

"Occupation?"

I grimaced. Leave it to Bella to turn this into an interview.

"Teacher's assistant."

Bella's voice raised a few octaves. "Is that your only job?"

"No. I bartend during the summer months."

"How much do you make?"

"That's none of your bloody business!"

Bella whipped out her phone. Oh great. She was making notes. I snuck a glance at what she had typed out.

" _Butthole gets tight at the mention of money. Most likely broke…"_

"On a scale of 1-10 how much do you love her?" Bella gestured towards me. I squirmed under the attention. Thankfully Arthur was getting used to her bluntness.

Arthur's lips twisted into a wry grin. "You can't quantify love, love."

I blushed. Bella made a sound of approval at the back of her throat.

" _Charming... A bit of a smartass…"_

"Would you be willing to spend the rest of your life with her?"

"Unequivocally."

Bella huffed and placed her phone back into her front coat pocket. "Well, I've done everything that I can. There's no stopping you kiddies from fucking each other's brain's out. You're perfect for each other!" she gushed. Oh great. The shipping monster had been unleashed. I should have never introduced her to tumblr. I began to mourn for my best friend's innocence. Arthur visibly paled. Quite the opposite of what I had been expecting, to be honest.

"BELLA!" I screamed.

The Belgian grinned. "What can I say?" she drawled. I'm a sucker for love!"

Bella didn't give me much warning before she shoved me forward. I stumbled and slide across the salt covered ice. Arthur caught me by the elbow. I straightened up to look him right in the eyes. "Hey," I giggled. Clouds of vapours puffed out of my mouth.

Arthur beamed down at me. His green eyes twinkled with an affectionate light. "Hey to you too," he chuckled. Our clouded breaths mingled. Arthur took my hands into his. Warmth seeped through his gloves. I stifled a sob. It hurt to miss and love a person this much. Too much in fact.

….

Bella waved over her shoulder and grinned. "Oi! This story is T rating remember?! Let's keep it PG thirteen!"

I huffed. "As if you're the one to talk!"

"Ferme ta bouche, sex bunny!"

I closed my mouth. I didn't have much of a response to that.

As if breaking the fourth wall wasn't enough.

She just _had_ to spoil everything.

….

* * *

 **Lovina's POV:**

Lovina was having the time of her life. What more could she ask for? She was robbing her boyfriend's wallet dry by eating everything in sight. The weather was just right. It struck a nice balance between tit freezing cold and ass clenching heat. In other, less vulgar words, the weather was mild. Lovina leaned against the side of the whack-a-mole stand. She giggled to herself and took a giant bite out of a caramelized apple. Antonio was such a goon. His attention span had never been the greatest. It was amusing to watch him swing and miss the automated moles. It was also fun to watch his frustration grow as the game went on. He swung the hammer more and more erratically. Lovina's laughter didn't help in the slightest. It only encouraged him to try and fail even harder. The buzzer rang and Antonio slammed the hammer back into its slot.

"Sorry bucko! There's always next time!"

Antonio, with slumped shoulders, walked over to her with a defeated look on his face. Lovina tsked to herself. He shouldn't have felt the need to impress her. Lovina wrapped her free arm around his neck. She pecked him on the cheek. "Don't be too hard on yourself, bastard," she snickered. "It isn't everyday that you make a total fool out of yourself." Lovina pulled away from the hug. She could practically see the steam pouring out of his ears. She had half the mind to pull off the red hat that he was wearing. Er…the same matching hat that she just so happened to be wearing as well. But it was just a coincidence! It wasn't coordinated, or anything. Oh no. Nothing like that.

Antonio frowned and bent over. Lovina wasn't expecting this, and thus, she wasn't quick enough to react. Antonio took a massive retaliatory bite out of her candy apple. Never mind. It wasn't a bite. He invaded the entire goddamned thing. With a grin, Antonio munched on the rest of the apple. The white candy stick hung out of his mouth. "Greedy asshole!" Lovina punched him in the chest, causing him to choke. Lovina skirted around him and resumed her punching. She whacked him on the small of his back and shoulder blades. Antonio gagged. Chunks of chewed up apple flew everywhere.

Antonio clutched at his throat. His green eyes widened and teared up as he gasped for air. Lovina ignored him, fished around in her front jean pocket, and pulled out a handle of quarters. She threw them before the snaggle-toothed carnival vendor. She needed to take out her anger on something. Breaking Antonio's ribs wouldn't satisfy the rage and betrayal of having her food stolen from her.

"Have at it little lady!"

Lovina picked up the hammer and immediately staggered under its weight. Antonio wrapped his arms around her waist to support her. "Heavy, no?" he chuckled into her ear, which was reddening even more by the second.

"Of course not!" Lovina huffed.

Antonio chuckled. He placed a hand both on top and underneath where Lovina's hands rested on the handle of the hammer. They stepped closer to the stand. The vendor slapped the start button. Lovina did much better than Antonio did. Even if he was helping her. They had managed to whack five moles together. All was swell until Lovina let her excitement get the best of her. Three moles popped out and Lovina wrenched the hammer out of Antonio's grip and brought it down. A thud and muffled oomph could be heard in the distance. Lovina didn't pay any heed to it. She was too busy cackling and picking out her prize. In the end she opted for a stuffed elephant. The wide-eyed vendor silently handed the prize to her. Lovina turned around to show Antonio their prize. Her grin faltered when she realized that he was cupping a hand to his face. Blood squirted out of his nose.

"Dio!" she cried out, dropping her prize to the ground. "What the fuck happened to you?!"

"You did."

"Oh." Lovina deadpanned. That would have explained the 'oomph' from earlier.

Antonio cracked a smile in between wincing. Lovina accepted the handful of napkins that the vendor handed to her. Lovina held it to his gushing nose. Antonio closed his eyes and sighed. His voice sounded congested and nasally when he spoke. "Ow," he whimpered. Lovina rolled her eyes. The bastard would take all the attention that he could get. Whiny, desperate little fucker-!

"Shut up. I didn't hit you that hard," Lovina growled.

"Tell that to the blood pouring out of my nose," Antonio complained.

It took a good ten minutes for his nose to stop bleeding. Lovina apologized and was even nice enough to kiss him on both cheeks. Antonio whimpered. His green eyes widened. They were practically pleading with her. "Kiss it better," he whispered. His gaze darkened. It smoldered right through her defenses. Lovina relented, stood up on the tips of her toes, and kissed him on the bridge of his nose. Antonio chuckled and pulled her closer. Lovina's head fell against the crook of his neck. He placed a kiss on top of her now boiling head.

"Come on," he cooed. "Say how much you love me."

Lovina's eye twitched. This moron was getting braver by the day.

"Tch! Needy bastard!" Lovina irritably grumbled into his scarf.

Antonio smiled. Lovina's blush told him everything that he needed to know and more. She loved him. And he loved her. To him, Lovina was the greatest prize of all.

Lovina nuzzled her head under his chin. To her, Antonio was slightly less bastardly than the average stronzo. She loved that godamned moron. His smile would be the death of her. And her blush would be the life of him. She hated that she loved him. And he loved that she 'hated' him.

But in the end, despite their many quirks, they both managed to make it work. Dysfunctional was the new functional, and in terms of their relationship, Lovina and Antonio couldn't have been any happier.

* * *

 **Feli's POV:**

Feli giggled and pushed her way through the crowd. She couldn't stand still. The bright lights and laughter in the air fueled her excitement. Ludwig chased and futilely call after her. The German had had his hands full all night long. Feli danced and sang along with random people. Ludwig was only trying to keep an eye out for her. He believed her to be too trusting. But she couldn't help it! It was New Years Eve! The time of celebration and joy! All she wanted to do was help spread it along! Feli took a sharp left at the cotton candy stand, her copper braids merrily swinging behind her. Ludwig huffed and puffed from fifty yards back.

"Feli! Mein Gott, can you slow down?!"

Feli skidded to a stop. She turned around to call out to Ludwig. She faltered when a heavy caramel coloured hand came crashing down onto her shoulder. Feli spun around. She squeaked when she looked up into the dark brown eyes of a hooded figure. He was wearing a long green coat, tanned pants and a matching scarf. The figure loomed over Feli. He was just as tall if not taller than Ludwig. "Hello there!" he boomed in a deep voice. "Aren't you a pretty little thing?"

Feli attempted to shrug off his hand from her shoulder. She didn't have much success. "Um…hello?" she giggled nervously. The upper half of the man's face was covered by a white mask. He shed her with a wide, toothy grin. The stubble on his chin bristled in the wind. "What's your name, doll?" the man propped up an elbow against the back of the cotton candy stand.

"Uh….I don't know if I should…" Feli twisted her head back. Much to her dismay, Ludwig was no where to be seen.

"Eyes back to me, doll," the man snickered. Feli was too scared not to comply. She looked up at the man with wide, brown eyes. She didn't like how small she felt in comparison to him. "Got any plans for midnight, _doll_?" Feli could sense the impatience in his voice. But she couldn't just tell him her name! This guy was really sketchy! He was the type of guy that Lovina would have classified as a level five stronzo. Translation: ' _Retreat mother fucka! Retreat_!" Lovina's vulgar words. Not hers.

Feli was spared from answering the man when another figure entered the scene. This guy wore an olive green coat. On top of his shaggy chest nut mane, he sported a white beret. Calm, chartreuse eyes glared at the man behind the mask. "Back at it again, Sadiq? When will you learn to give it a rest? Leave the poor girl be. It's obvious that she's not interested in you."

The masked man growled deep in his throat. "Stay out of it, Heracles. This doesn't concern you."

"Any harm done to a pretty lady is concerning to me," Heracles huffed, blowing out his fringe from his face. He looked down at Sadiq as if he was nothing more than a bug to squash under the soles of his feet.

"You idiot. I _meant_ that this isn't any of your business."

"I know full well what you meant," Heracles drawled in a lazy voice. He then looked over to Feli and shed her with a kind smile. The warmth in his eyes calmed her down a little. It was very placating. Perhaps even hypnotizing. She almost fell asleep just by looking at them. "Now let her go."

"And if I don't?" Sadiq let go of Feli anyways. He took a step towards Heracles and balled his hands into tight, threatening fists. Feli was frozen in place. Her mind screamed for her to run away. But alas, her feet were planted to the ground. They had no intention of moving any time soon.

Heracles zipped open his jacket. He reached into a side pocket and pulled out a meerkat-sized kitten. It was grey and very fluffy. It let out a tired mewl of protest. Heracles held it by the scruff of its neck. Just like a mother cat would have done. "I'll sick Larry on you." Feli wasn't processing any of what he was saying. It was all too much for her to handle.

"HA! That thing's no match for me!" Sadiq guffawed. "Bring it on cat boy!"

Heracles bent over and whispered into the kitten's ear. "Larry, what do we do to perverts?" The cat responded with a low hiss. The hair on its back stood up. Sadiq swallowed. Heracles smirked. "Last chance, Adnan." Sadiq made no indication of backing down.

Heracles let the cat drop to the ground on all fours. Its eyes glowed green in the carnival light. Its paws made tiny imprints in the snow covered ground. "Get em' Larry." With an aggressive sounding meow, Larry leapt at Sadiq. The air born kitty swiped and clawed at the Turk's face. Sadiq fell to the ground. He writhed and twisted but all attempts to shake off Larry were futile.

"Fuck! Not the face! Not the face!" Sadiq wailed. Larry aimed for his face on purpose after that. Heracles praised his kitty prodigy in Greek.

Meanwhile, it took Feli a long time to regain her composure. She still didn't know what was happening. All she knew was that she had been saved. Feli took a few steps back. She looked up to meet the leering eyes of a smirking Heracles. "G-grazie," she stammered. Her lips tugged at the corners of her mouth. She gave him a weak smile.

Heracles shrugged. "No problem," he grinned to himself. "You remind me of someone that I once shared my bong with."

Feli had no words for that statement. She was quick to leave the feuding trio after that. She found it unnerving how Heracles' eyes glowed in the dark. Just like that of a cat. Feli ran and ran until she found Ludwig standing by a ring tossing stand. His blue eyes widened with relief when she plowed straight into his arms. Feli sobbed into his chest. Ludwig patted her head and whispered sweet words of soothing into her ear. Feli closed her eyes. She was always safest in Ludwig's arms.

…

Ludwig's temple throbbed. He was beginning to wonder how much cotton candy Feli had consumed behind his back. Masked figures? A heroic cat man? Verdammt! What if Feli had been drugged?! Nein. She would have passed out by now. But still. He would have to keep a _much_ closer eye on her. Ludwig didn't let Feli out of his sight after that. He was already quite accustomed to babysitting his man child of an older bruder. Feli was no different. They both had a love for adventure that always seemed to result in trouble. Except now, Ludwig had learned to join her in her adventures. Love was the first avenue that they had both embarked upon. And with Feli, Ludwig knew that there would be many more to come.

* * *

 **Natalia's POV:**

"Ah-hah!" Natalia cried out. She had just popped another five balloons in a row. Poor Alfred. He didn't stand a chance. Alfred crossed his arms and silently fumed to himself. They had spent the last hour at this particular balloon pop stand. Since darts were her element, Natalia had won every single time. Alfred's patience had gone through the roof. His form crumpled as his agitation grew. Each balloon that he missed fueled Natalia's will to pop even more. Alfred grumbled to himself while Natalia picked out her prized stuffed animal. She opted for a bright pink pig.

"Look Alfred," she mused, holding it out for him to see. "It's you when you're hungry."

Alfred laughed dryly. "Haha, very funny." He reached into his pocket, pulled out a twenty-dollar bill and spun off in the opposite direction. Natalia smiled. She knew full well where he was going. Alfred came back five minutes later. In his hand he held onto a red, plastic basket. The basket was filled to the top with quarters. Natalia grinned. Alfred smirked at her. A mocking light lit up in his cerulean blue eyes.

"Round two?"

Natalia nodded her head and grinned.

The female vendor cupped a hand over her mouth and giggled. Natalia joined her and leaned a casual elbow on the counter. "He's secretly a masochist," she whispered, but not low enough. "He loves to have his ass kicked."

"DO NOT!" Alfred spluttered, red-faced at such a dramatically intimate suggestion.

" _Honey_ , you know how much I hate to wait," Natalia patronized. Oh how she loved to provoke him.

Alfred grumbled and handed the smirking vendor a roll of quarters. "Keep the change," he growled.

…

 _1 hour later…_

Alfred inspected the sole balloon left with one eye. Natalia felt her stomach lurch. If he popped this balloon, that meant that they would tie. She had to admit. Alfred was getting better at this. His determination alone was something to worry about. If Alfred _really_ wanted to accomplish something, nothing would stop him from doing so. Time and multiple failures were nothing more than minor setbacks in a much grander scheme. As long as he prevailed in the end that's all that mattered. Natalia inhaled sharply. Her impatience grew to unbearable levels. Of course, Alfred would be taking all the time in the world for this one throw. His entire pride relied on it.

Alfred muttered under his breath. "Come on, Alfie. You're a beast! This balloon's got nothing on you!"

Natalia cleared her throat. "We don't have all night, ' _Alfie'_ ," she hummed.

Alfred glowered. He wound his arm one last time. He turned his head to the side just to spite her. Natalia grit her teeth. She cursed him to the moon and back. The curse worked. Alfred missed by a mere centimeter. The Belarusian cried out with joy. The glorious ring of victory chorused in her ears. She looked up at the sky and cackled into the night, indifferent to the disturbed looks that random passersbys aimed her way. The vendor held up her hand for a fist bump and Natalia was more than glad to give it to her. Er…perhaps she gave it to her a bit too hard. The vendor stumbled backwards and held her assaulted fist to her mouth. Natalia winced. She had never been good at measuring her strength.

Alfred brought both hands to his face and groaned. Natalia trotted over to him and beamed. She reached up to pry his hands away from his face. She stood on the tips of her toes. She wanted to get as close as she possibly could to him. She brought her face an inch away from his cold reddened nose. Alfred scowled and looked down at his shoes. "Come on. Say it," she cooed. "We had a deal."

Alfred swallowed, his adam's apple bobbing. His face flushed a deep red. Natalia gloried at the sight of it. "You're my…." Alfred bit his lip when Natalia traced a teasing finger along his jaw line.

"Almost there…."

Alfred mumbled something intelligible into the side of his hood.

"Hmmm~?"

"I said that you're my Hero!" Alfred blurted out.

Natalia chuckled and brushed her lips over his. "Good boy."

The Belarusian cocked her head to the side. "Are you up for another game?"

Alfred's face returned to normal coloring. "Go on, enlighten me…." He smirked.

Natalia spun on her heels and took off running. "Race you to the Ferris wheel!"

Pounding footsteps clambered after her. "You're on!" Natalia giggled as she weaved in and out of the crowd. Alfred wasn't faring as well as she was. He was much too big and got in the way of everything. He left a trail of destruction in his path. The casualties so far included five beaver tails, a disgruntled hot dog vender, and an entire clothing stand. As to why Natalia played along with his childish games? The answer was simple. She was in love with him.

* * *

 **Maddie's POV:**

Maddie clung to Gilbert's side like a life line. She didn't like heights. In fact, she hated them. Gilbert's incessant pouting was the only reason why she had agreed to ride this damned Ferris wheel with him in the first place. It didn't help that the goof was vlogging the entire thing. Maddie buried her face into the cuff of Gilbert's jacket. All the while he shoved the camera into their faces and cackled. "Kesese! As you guys can see, my girlfriend's terrified of heights." Gilbert poked her cheek with his free hand. Maddie swatted at it and scowled.

Gilbert furrowed his brows. "Come on!" He whined. "Stop being so boring!" Maddie shook her head and burrowed underneath her maple leaf scarf. It grew eerily quiet after that. They were slowly approaching the top of the Ferris wheel. Gilbert moved to scoot to the side. Maddie whimpered and grabbed a fistful of his jacket. "W-what are you d-doing?" she stuttered. Gilbert reached out and placed a hand on the handle of their carriage's door.

Maddie gaped at him. He wouldn't. Oh but he did. Gilbert opened the door when the Ferris wheel stopped to let passengers off at the bottom. Maddie felt like she was about to faint. She stared down at the ground. Three hundred feet of bare air separated them. Her vision caved in and the bright lights of the festival became blurry. Gilbert's words were now muffled.

"Awesome view, huh? I could totally fall to my death right now! Kesesese!"

Maddie's eyes lolled into the back of her head. Everything went black after that.

…

Maddie stirred. She felt the brush of something warm on her cheeks. In fact, everything was warm. Someone was holding onto her. Gilbert had spread open his legs. Maddie sat in the space between them. Her back leaned against his stomach. His hands locked around her waist. Maddie's eyes fluttered open. "G-Gil?"

Gilbert pecked her on the cheek again. "Ha! True loves kiss triumphs all!"

Thankfully, he didn't have his camera out this time. Maddie was slow to regain her senses. The cogs in her brain spluttered to a start. She was on a Ferris Wheel with Gilbert. He opened the door and she had fainted as a result. And then…the anger kicked in. She spun around and slapped him right across the cheek. Gilbert's head swung to the left. The smirk on his face never faltered.

"You asshole!" She fumed. "You filmed the entire thing, didn't you?!"

Maddie took Gilbert's guffaws as her answer.

"Of course I did," He chortled, ducking away from the hand that she tried to clap over his ear. "How could I not?! You looked so cute!" Gilbert grabbed her wrist and Maddie faltered.

Maddie glowered at him. She shifted her position so that she was straddling him. Gilbert's eyes widened into saucers. "I am _anything_ but cute," she huffed. Maddie brought her lips down to his. Gilbert reciprocated and deepened the kiss. They were now stopped at the top of the Ferris wheel. The horizon of the canal lay in the background. Thousands of people swarmed beneath them. Despite this, all they could do was focus on each other.

Gilbert nipped at her bottom lip. "How silly of me," he snickered. "Would calling you sexy make up for my mistake?"

Maddie grabbed onto the collar of his shirt and traced a trail of breathy kisses along his jaw. "Ja…" she drew out the vowel with an open, parted mouth.

The German tutted.

"Tsk! Such a naughty girl…. _Madeleine_."

Maddie cocked her to the side and smirked. "What are you going to do? Blog about it?"

Gilbert grinned. "Why blog about it when I can live in the moment?"

And that's exactly what Gilbert did.

He lived and breathed the soul of the girl who understood him most in life.

* * *

 **Bella's POV (Time, 11:55 PM)**

Bella sipped on her third beer and stumbled through the crowd, giggling all the while. She drove herself mad with the fact that she was the only person single out of her _entire_ group of friends. Arthur was lovely. She simply got a kick out of giving him a hard time. It was funny to watch those eyebrows of his fold into a bridge of hair whenever he got angry. Keh. Even Gilbert had someone to call his own. Maddie was too good for him. She was a darling in every aspect. And then there was Lovina and Antonio, who Bella would ship till death do her ogling eyes part. They were fucking adorable. Apparently Ludwig was dating Lovina's twin sister too. Bella deadpanned. Couples. Couples everywhere.

Urgh. Bella careened forward. Her vision dizzied for a moment. And then she was up and back at it again. The Belgian kept her eyes open for a cute boy. She was in the mood for a temporary fling. You know the works. Grab a hunk, kiss him at midnight, and drunkenly flee away from the scene when he wasn't looking. Bella was just glad that her brother Tim wasn't there to baby her. He never let her get away with anything. And Bella was feeling particularly mischievous tonight. Ah. Right there. Bella had spotted her target. Tall, blond, and mysterious. Bella let out an inebriated fit of chiming laughter. This was going to be fun.

Bella sauntered up to the boy of her choice. He was wearing a long, black trench coat and brown, knee-high combat boots. Bella smirked. He too was holding onto a beer in his hands. From the back she could tell that he had spiky hair. Bella reached out to tap him on the shoulder. It was a very broad and muscular shoulder. Her cheeks flushed red, as opposed to the previous color of intoxicated pink, when he turned around to face her. Glazed green eyes were met with smirking sapphire ones. Bella grinned. She had to hurry. The countdown was on.

 _10…9…8…7….6…_

"Hello random guy!" she slurred, sloshing around the beer in her hand for good measure. "Want to make out with a random girl?" Bella had never been the classy type. Being blunt was one of her fortes life.

 _5….4…_

The boy grinned. "The name's Ma-"

 _3…2…_

Bella silenced him by placing a slender finger over his lips. She took her index finger and thumb and squished his cheeks together. "Just shut up and kiss me."

 _1…_

The boy grinned.

He was more than happy to comply.

"HAPPY NEW YEARS!"

* * *

 **Cheya's POV (Time, 11:30 PM)**

Bella didn't give me much warning before she shoved me forward. I stumbled and slide across the salt covered ice. Arthur caught me by the elbow. I straightened up to look him right in the eyes. "Hey," I giggled. Clouds of vapours puffed out of my mouth.

Arthur beamed down at me. His green eyes twinkled with an affectionate light. "Hey to you too," he chuckled. Our clouded breaths mingled. Arthur took my hands into his. I stifled a sob. Arthur bit his lip. We opened our mouths at the same time.

"I'M SORRY!" We both faltered to give the other a chance to speak.

No one spoke.

We opened our mouths to speak again.

"YOU FIRST!"

"FINE! I'LL GO FIRST!"

"MERDE!"

"BOLLOCKS!

I giggled. Arthur squeezed my hands gently. "Blast. This isn't going as planned," he muttered.

I sighed. "I don't think that we planned for any of this." This meaning, well, everything. "Uh…sorry about my friend. She can be a tad bit overprotective..." Tad was an overwhelming understatement. Bella was a lunatic. There was no sugar coating it.

Arthur smirked. "No worries. I have three older brothers, remember?" I found myself mesmerized by his emerald green eyes. They twinkled under the moonlight. His lips curled into a grin. I reciprocated. I fell into his chest before I even realized it. Arthur wrapped his arms around my back. He pressed a kiss to my forehead. "Please, forgive me. I was a jackass for saying such a crude thing."

I shook my head and nuzzled my head into his coat. "I overreacted. It wasn't your fault…at least not entirely." Arthur placed a hand at the back of my head. He was very careful not to put too much pressure onto it. I scoffed. His hands were shaking. He was terrified to hurt me. "Arthur, I'm not as fragile as you think. You can hold me closer if you want."

I pulled away to look up at him. My heart melted at the worried look on his face. "Really, I'm fine. I hardly get headaches any more." I shed him with a weak smile. Arthur blushed.

"O-oh. That's good." Arthur cupped a hand around my left cheek. "Can I…."

I snorted. "Why ask? Was me biting my lip not enough of a clue for you?"

Arthur rolled his eyes. "Still insufferable as always." My retort was cut off when he crushed his lips to mine. It was a short and sweet kiss. I could tell that he making an effort to be gentle. Despite my protests from earlier. I shrugged out of Arthur's arms and took a few steps back.

I cupped a hand over my mouth and giggled at his dumb founded expression. "Close your eyes!" I purred.

Arthur blushed beet red. The devilish look on my face gave it away. He had a good idea as to where I was going with this. He complied, albeit muttering a snide remark under his breath. I unzipped my coat and gave my pig tails a good shake. The couples sauntering around in the area spared me the odd glance. I couldn't have cared less. I looked down and smoothed out the wrinkles from the red, one-piece bathing suit that I was wearing underneath my coat. I trotted back to Arthur and poked him in the chest. I took extreme pleasure in the fact that I had made him jump.

"You can open them now!" I gushed.

Arthur didn't just open his eyes. They nearly bulged out of their sockets. I smirked and twirled around in the bunny suit. I intended to give him a show. Arthur swallowed when I took his hand and brought it up to my front coat pocket. I guided him to pull out a familiar bunny ears head band. "Bloody hell," he murmured. "That outfit will be the death of me." I reveled in his attention. He was completely awe-struck.

I cocked my head to the side. "Will you do the honours?" With trembling hands, a pale faced Arthur placed the hair band onto my head. I let out a playful mewl in response. "That's the second part to your Christmas present!" I gushed. "Do you like it?"

Arthur deadpanned. It was all too much to take in. "Fuck me," he muttered.

He mumbled something else under his breath. It wasn't loud enough for me to hear.

("What are the odds…?")

"It wouldn't hurt you to use the Queen's English!" I scolded.

"Fuck me thrice," he chuckled.

Arthur grabbed my hand and pulled me into another kiss.

When we pulled away, he led me towards a ridge where we could sit and watch the fireworks. I sat down next to him. He wrapped an arm around my waist. I leaned into his touch. "You'll have to wait a few more minutes before I can give you my present." I pouted and begged for him to tell me what it was. He didn't relent. I grumbled and rested my head against his shoulder. Stubborn bastard.

…

Arthur nudged me with his shoulder. I stirred and sat up. He pointed to the sky. "Look up."

"Why?" My question was answered when the end of year countdown began.

"10…9….8….."

I grabbed Arthur's jaw and turned his head so that it was facing me. "What did you do?" I pried.

Arthur jerked his head out of my grip. "Eyes on the sky, woman!" he growled half-heartedly.

"7…6…5…"

I smacked him on the back of the head for calling me such a generic name.

"4…3…2…"

Arthur chuckled under his breath.

"1…"

"HAPPY NEW YEARS!"

The sky erupted with fireworks of all sorts. Red, green, gold, and blue sparks exploded and mixed together. Arthur checked his watch and grinned. He tapped me on the shoulder and pointed to his left. I followed the tip of his index finger. A strangely shaped firework popped into the air. It was set apart from the rest. Only those watching would have spotted it. My heart stopped at the sight of it. A red fire work in the shape of a bunny's head sizzled into sight. I squealed and tackled Arthur with a kiss. He fell backwards. I hovered over him. My hair tickled his nose.

"How?!" I spluttered.

"Braginski owed me a favor. He just so happened to have a girlfriend who dabbled in the fine art of fireworks."

"You're a sly bastard, Arthur Kirkland."

Arthur looked up to me and smirked. "Happy New Years, slut bunny."

I grabbed the twat by the collar of his shirt and kissed him.

His sweetness never failed to pamper me.

What can I say?

I felt like a princess.

* * *

 **~The End~**


End file.
